sideline

1 of 2

noun

side·​line ˈsīd-ˌlīn 

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

sideline

2 of 2

verb

sidelined; sidelining; sidelines

transitive verb

: to put out of action : put on the sidelines

Examples of sideline in a Sentence

Noun

She makes and sells jewelry as a sideline.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The company is also moving its headquarters from Beijing to Shanghai this summer to be closer to its specialized factories in Wuxi that make optical parts and other components, CEO and founder Chi Xu told me on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's event in Tianjin last week. —Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 2 July 2025

Junior offensive lineman Nathan Rader had collapsed on the home sideline. —Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Verb

Empowering communities to take the lead on HIV prevention is vital: where communities lead, outcomes improve; where they’re sidelined, infections grow. —Peter Sands, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

He’s once again sidelined because of plantar fasciitis, a lingering issue that might scare away buyers. —Zack Meisel, New York Times, 9 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sideline

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

Kids Definition

sideline

noun

side·​line

-ˌlīn

1

: a line marking the side of a playing field or court

2

: a business or job done in addition to one's regular occupation