on the sidelines

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Idioms and Phrases

Observing rather than taking part, out of the action, as in Bolivia's neighbors remained on the sidelines, waiting to see which faction in the dispute would prevail . This idiom comes from sports. The sidelines are the two lines defining the sides of the court or playing field and the area immediately beyond them where, in such sports as football, the non-playing team members sit. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Robinson, though, thinks Onana's spell on the sidelines will continue.

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Health and Human Services chief Xavier Becerra, two other top Democrats running for governor, also called out politicians for sitting on the sidelines.

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That attitude left someone like me—many people like me, it turned out—standing on the sidelines.

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Barkley told Evans that Bradley Cooper is a “diehard” Eagles fan and is always on the sidelines at games.

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While Ellevest is now focused on high-net-worth clients, Female Invest is interested in potential investors who’ve been sitting on the sidelines while companies like Robinhood and Revolut mainly appeal to male investors or active traders, according to Hartvigsen.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

on the side on the side of the angels

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