sidebar

noun

side·​bar ˈsīd-ˌbär 

1

a

: a short news story or graphic accompanying and presenting sidelights of a major story

b

: something incidental : sidelight

a sidebar to the essay's central theme

2

: a conference between the judge, the lawyers, and sometimes the parties to a case that the jury does not hear

Examples of sidebar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a fun sidebar for BB&N, the Knights were able to welcome back a star alum in recent James Madison graduate, Sammy Malignaggi. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2025

The film — a vivid portrayal of homelessness and mental health on the streets of London — bowed in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard sidebar in May to solid reviews and an enthusiastic 5-minute standing ovation. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 July 2025

Marked by soft transparency and subtle gradients, the glass-like design appears in just about every interface, including the Menu Bar, the Lock Screen, app icons, and sidebars in apps. —Luke Larsen, Wired News, 11 June 2025

It was picked for this year’s Locarno film festival and will screen in the Open Doors sidebar. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for sidebar

• abattoir
• alcazar
• autocar
• avatar
• belshazzar
• caviar
• caviare
• cinnabar
• commissar
• condylar
• deodar
• handlebar

Legal Definition

sidebar

noun

side·​bar ˈsīd-ˌbär 

: sidebar conference

had failed to request a sidebar before injecting the collateral offense into the trial

—Dockery v. State, 659 So. 2d 219 (1994)

also : the place near or before the bench where a sidebar conference takes place

the judge informed both attorneys…that they…could stand at sidebar while questions were posed

—Commonwealth v. Urena, 632 N.E.2d 1200 (1994)

compare bench, stand

sidebar adjective