1
: a line at right angles to a goal line or end line and marking a side of a court or field of play for athletic games
2
a
: a line of goods sold in addition to one's principal line
b
: a business or activity pursued in addition to one's regular occupation
3
a
: the space immediately outside the lines along either side of an athletic field or court
b
: a sphere of little or no participation or activity
—usually used in plural
Examples of sideline in a Sentence
Noun
She makes and sells jewelry as a sideline.
Recent Examples on the Web
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 28 Dec. 2025
There isn’t much either NFL team is playing for in Week 17 other than draft position, but tensions ran high after Giants receiver Wan’Dale Robinson made a catch and Adams came running over after the play was over near the Giants’ sideline.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Dec. 2025
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
Kyrgios, who had been sidelined with injuries since his 2022 Wimbledon final appearance, faced a disadvantage of Sabalenka’s side of the court being nearly 10% smaller in an attempt to level the playing field.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sideline
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Noun
Of course, there’s no guarantee what would have happened if the ball was in Hardy’s hands — and there was no immediate clarity on why he was pulled, whether for injury or another reason — but his body language in a sideline conversation with Drinkwitz said it all.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 28 Dec. 2025
There isn’t much either NFL team is playing for in Week 17 other than draft position, but tensions ran high after Giants receiver Wan’Dale Robinson made a catch and Adams came running over after the play was over near the Giants’ sideline.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Dec. 2025
Verb
Ruiz has stolen 77 bases in 96 attempts in the big leagues, but his inability to get on base consistently - combined with a 2024 wrist injury that sidelined him more than four months - have prevented him from establishing a big-league foothold since his rookie season.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
Kyrgios, who had been sidelined with injuries since his 2022 Wimbledon final appearance, faced a disadvantage of Sabalenka’s side of the court being nearly 10% smaller in an attempt to level the playing field.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sideline
Cite this Entry
“Sideline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideline. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.
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