sideways
adverb or adjective
side·ways
ˈsīd-ˌwāz 
1
: from one side
2
: with one side forward
turn sideways
3
a
: in a lateral direction or downward to one side
hopped sideways
slump sideways
b
: askance
look sideways at someone
Examples of sideways in a Sentence
I had to walk sideways to get between the two towering piles of boxes
she glanced at us sideways when she heard us claim we weren't there that night
Recent Examples on the Web
Orlando failed to capitalize on a 24-point lead in Game 6 at Kia Center and instead had to travel to Detroit for a Game 7 that went sideways late in the second quarter.
—
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
In their Round 2 opener on Sunday, the Wild hung six goals on the Colorado Avalanche and skated off the ice in a state of shock at everything that went sideways.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
Whole trees, uprooted and carried downriver by recent floods, lie sideways in the mud.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
In just eight weeks, much of the global economy has been knocked sideways.
—Ben Casselman Qilai Shen Lisa Lerer William J. Burns, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sideways
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Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
In their Round 2 opener on Sunday, the Wild hung six goals on the Colorado Avalanche and skated off the ice in a state of shock at everything that went sideways.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
Whole trees, uprooted and carried downriver by recent floods, lie sideways in the mud.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
In just eight weeks, much of the global economy has been knocked sideways.
—Ben Casselman Qilai Shen Lisa Lerer William J. Burns, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sideways
Cite this Entry
“Sideways.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideways. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sideways
adverb or adjective
side·ways
ˈsīd-ˌwāz
1
: from one side
viewed the stage sideways
2
: with one side forward
turn sideways
3
: to one side
fell sideways
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