sidetrack

verb

sidetracked; sidetracking; sidetracks

transitive verb

1

: to shunt aside (as to a railroad siding)

2

a

: to turn aside from a purpose : deflect

b

: to prevent action on by diversionary tactics

sidetrack an issue

Examples of sidetrack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, an injury that never properly healed sidetracked his 2025 season, affecting his productivity and development. —Dane Brugler, New York Times, 26 May 2026

The public gets sidetracked by the language and the narrative. —Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

But some air travelers could be sidetracked by a hole on a major runway. —Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 May 2026

As in the kidney illness discovered when Mourning returned to the Heat with gold from the 2000 Sydney Olympics only to learn of major kidney illness that would sidetrack his Hall of Fame career. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sidetrack

• almanac
• camelback
• cardiac
• carryback
• cluniac
• diamondback
• lumberjack
• maniac
• paperback
• piggyback
• quarterback
• saddleback

Kids Definition

sidetrack

1 of 2 noun

side·​track ˈsīd-ˌtrak 

: siding sense 1

sidetrack

2 of 2 verb

1

: to transfer from a main railroad line to a siding

2

: to turn aside from a main purpose or use

got sidetracked by all the phone calls