sidetrack
noun
side·track
| \ ˈsīd-ˌtrak
\
\
Definition of sidetrack
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: siding sense 2
2
: a position or condition of secondary importance to which one may be diverted
sidetrack
verb
sidetracked;
sidetracking;
sidetracks
Definition of sidetrack (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to shunt aside (as to a railroad siding)
2a
: to turn aside from a purpose : deflect
b
: to prevent action on by diversionary tactics
sidetrack an issue
Examples of sidetrack in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The sidetrack to that is that Inge is a German person. — Chris Hewitt, Twin Cities, "‘Sweet Land’: an immigration-themed love story that had to be a musical," 4 May 2017 When the Aztecs were winning three straight tournament championships from 2013-15 they always were accompanied with twists and turns, sidetracks and setbacks. — Kirk Kenney, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Aztecs lose 12-1 to Fresno State, forcing winner-take-all game Sunday for MW title," 27 May 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Picked up the quest from Moira to check out the RobCo plant and got sidetracked with other dungeons on the way there. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Ars Technica’s favorite video games from our first 10 years, 1998-2008," 20 Aug. 2019 They won’t be sidetracked by taking up a cause that has no bearing on crucial issues the country is facing right now. — Dahleen Glanton, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Cory Booker is wrong. Joe Biden isn’t the enemy of black people. Donald Trump is.," 29 July 2019 The week’s issue involves a past project that got sidetracked. — SFChronicle.com, "Minerva’s horoscope for week of July 28," 28 July 2019 September or October might appear to be the time to put your ideas and plans into motion, but you can easily be sidetracked by wishful thinking and impractical ideas. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for June 4, 2019: Pisces, count your blessings; Cancer, mixed messages may confuse," 4 June 2019 His supporters said the move was an attempt to keep Navalny sidetracked as Putin’s approval ratings dropped. — Kathleen Joyce, Fox News, "Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny, released from jail then immediately detained again," 25 Sep. 2018 Even though Jones’ career got sidetracked slightly, her talent offered her redemption. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Forced to Perform As Aretha Franklin," 2 July 2018 In face-to-face interviews, researchers asked them about education, work, and whether they got sidetracked by prison, divorce or unemployment. — John Blake, CNN, "The blurring of racial lines won't save America. Why 'racial fluidity' is a con," 11 June 2018 Goldblum came tantalizingly close to his current frames back in 2001, but the 2000s happened to everyone, and he was quickly sidetracked. — Liz Raiss, GQ, "Jeff Goldblum's Guide to Finding the Right Glasses," 20 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sidetrack.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for sidetrack
sidetrack
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of sidetrack
: to cause (someone) to talk about or do something different and less important
: to change the direction or use of (something)
: to prevent (something) from being dealt with
See the full definition for sidetrack in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sidetrack
verb
side·track
| \ ˈsīd-ˌtrak
\
\
sidetracked;
sidetracking
Kids Definition of sidetrack
: to turn aside from a main purpose or direction
Nick could launch a question guaranteed to sidetrack the teacher long enough to … wipe out the homework assignment.— Andrew Clements, Frindle