sidetrack

verb

Definition of sidetracknext
as in to deviate

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sidetrack You can get sidetracked on other issues, some of which Flores has winding through the courts right now. — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 21 May 2026 Some unnecessary, overlong scenes do drag, allowing the audience to get sidetracked. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 May 2026 Three consecutive presidencies have been sidetracked by immigration-policy overreach. — Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026 Stripe co-founder and president John Collison told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin on Tuesday that the company isn’t yet aiming for an IPO, which would sidetrack its current product and business growth. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sidetrack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidetrack
  1. deviate
  2. avert
  3. divert
  4. deflect
  5. redirect
  6. move
  7. swerve
  8. shift
Verb
  • Honda's vehicles feature a distinct design language and identity that evolves without deviating from the brand's ethos.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • And yet at the start of the Mass, a priest read aloud a statement justifying the consecrations as a necessary defense of the faith and criticizing how the Catholic Church today had deviated from tradition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • Former Red Sox prospect Kyle Teel drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to avert the shutout, but right-hander Justin Slaten still faced a tough situation with runners at the corners and one out when he was summoned to put out the fire.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
  • Several guests have also indicated that phones were not allowed inside the arena, which may have also been in an attempt to avert leaks.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of avert
Verb
  • Now, that excess gets diverted into the Austerlitz basin instead, where it’s held deep underground until the weather clears, then pumped gradually to treatment plants outside the city.
    — Camille Knight, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Hotels are offering 50% discounts, schools, mosques and sports halls have been prepared to house mourners, and bus and rail networks are being diverted to serve the main events.
    — Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of divert
Verb
  • The sequence started with Bosnian defender Stjepan Radeljic sliding in front of a Tillman pass, deflecting it forward toward Muharemovic.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Colombia wasted no time imposing itself on the Portugal defense, taking two shots in the opening minutes, the first a header by Cordoba after a Diaz shot was deflected, and another by Rodriguez that went wide.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Definition of deflect
Verb
  • The human supplies the evaluation signal, and the output is only as good as that person's ability to diagnose misalignment, clarify intent and redirect toward the target.
    — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • But the console represents 80% of the Xbox business; Sharma is now redirecting resources to that core.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Definition of redirect
Verb
  • To keep up with the fast-moving aerial acts, the app features an adjustable countdown timer set to the official schedule.
    — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • If anyone shows signs of heat illness, promptly move them to a cool, shaded area.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
Definition of move
Verb
  • Independent testing by Motor Trend revealed that Max‑Performance summer tires improve cornering grip by 10 to 20 percent, which is a significant buffer when cornering or swerving to avoid an accident.
    — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The video allegedly showed that a driver who was apparently in front of Savino swerved into the middle lane in front of a tractor-trailer to avoid a collision, the warrant affidavit said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Definition of swerve
Verb
  • Here is another example in the opening 45 minutes, where Brazil’s midfield is shifted over to the near side to condense the space around Morocco.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • The Facebook page shifted to a private setting to create a more intimate space.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of shift

Browse Nearby Words

side tables
sidetrack
sidetracked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sidetrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidetrack. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sidetrack

Nglish: Translation of sidetrack for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All