sideways

adverb or adjective

side·ways | \ ˈsīd-ˌwāz

How to pronounce sideways (audio)

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Definition of sideways

1 : from one side

2 : with one side forward turn sideways

3a : in a lateral direction or downward to one side hopped sideways slump sideways

b : askance look sideways at someone

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about sideways

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Examples of sideways in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Such was the case in the second quarter, when three-point shooting went sideways and the offense went stale. — oregonlive, "No. 3 Oregon State has spectacular moments during its search for consistency in a 77-48 win over Utah," 3 Jan. 2020 Over years, its currents yaw crazily sideways, in some cases for miles. — Paul Salopek, National Geographic, "India’s holiest river is drying up," 9 Aug. 2019 Most of them were sideways, busted up and tipped over. — Washington Post, "Coal train derails into Great Dismal Swamp wildlife refuge," 26 June 2019 In the foreground of one of Ramrakha’s photographs from the Biafran War, bodies in repose are laid out with their faces to the ground, or skywards, or sideways, totaling almost two dozen. — Emmanuel Iduma, The New York Review of Books, "‘Gone Like a Meteor’: Epitaph for the Lost Youth of the Biafran War," 30 May 2019 In general, a spine with a 10-degree sideways curve or less is considered normal. — Mayo Clinic News Network, chicagotribune.com, "Scoliosis most often develops during growth spurt just before puberty," 4 Dec. 2019 Credit growth, which rebounded strongly early in the year as panicked policy makers dialed back their crackdown on shadow banking, has more or less trended sideways since March. — Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, "Juice for China’s Economy Is Coming," 14 June 2019 In typical comic book team-up fashion, things went sideways, and the Arrow ended up fighting the Flash because the latter got whammied by Ray. — Chancellor Agard, EW.com, "Grant Gustin shares untold story from first Flash-Arrow crossover: 'It wasn't glamorous'," 4 Dec. 2019 Pushing the boundaries of what video games can be, Sam Barlow's latest live-action game turns players into voyeurs and asks them to comb through a trove of video messages related to an undercover law enforcement operation that went sideways. — Christopher Byrd, chicagotribune.com, "The 10 best video games of 2019," 3 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sideways.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More about sideways

Dictionary Entries near sideways

side-wedge graft

side whip graft

Statistics for sideways

Last Updated

18 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sideways.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideways. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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More Definitions for sideways

sideways

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of sideways

: with one side facing forward

: to or toward the right or left side

See the full definition for sideways in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sideways

adverb or adjective

side·ways | \ ˈsīd-ˌwāz

\

Kids Definition of sideways

1 : from one side I looked at it sideways.

2 : with one side forward a sideways position He turned sideways to let me by.

3 : to one side a sideways move The statue fell sideways.

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