sidetrack: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, slightly figurative. Common in professional and everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “sidetrack” mean?
to cause someone to become distracted from the main topic or task.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to cause someone to become distracted from the main topic or task; to divert attention or discussion.
1. (Noun) A diversion from a main subject or course. 2. (Noun/Railway) A secondary railway track into which a train can be diverted from the main line. 3. (Verb) To shunt a train onto a siding. 4. (Figurative/Verb) To delay or postpone consideration of something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Both use it as verb and noun. The railway origin is understood in both.
Connotations
Identical connotations of distraction/diversion.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpus data, but well-established and common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “sidetrack” in a Sentence
[Subject] sidetracks [Object] (from [NP])[Subject] gets sidetracked (by [NP])[Subject] is a sidetrack (from [NP])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sidetrack” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He kept trying to sidetrack the interview onto safer topics.
- Don't let them sidetrack you with irrelevant details.
American English
- The senator sidetracked the debate with a personal anecdote.
- I started cleaning the garage but got sidetracked by an old photo album.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adjective. Typically participial: 'a sidetracked committee', 'sidetracked thoughts'.
American English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adjective. Typically participial: 'a sidetracked project', 'sidetracked employees'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'We must not let this client question sidetrack us from the quarterly targets.'
Academic
The researcher acknowledged that the intriguing data from the control group was a fascinating sidetrack from the main hypothesis.
Everyday
I went to tidy one drawer and got completely sidetracked for two hours.
Technical
(Rail) The freight train was sidetracked to allow the express service to pass.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sidetrack”
- Using 'sidetracked' to mean simply 'busy' (e.g., 'I was sidetracked with work' – better: 'I was preoccupied with work'). Confusing it with 'set back', which implies a delay, not a distraction.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern usage, it is almost always written as one word: 'sidetrack'. The hyphenated form 'side-track' is now rare.
Rarely. Its core meaning is a distracting diversion, which is usually negative. However, the noun can sometimes be neutral, e.g., 'Their conversation took a pleasant sidetrack into memories of childhood.'
'Digress' is typically intransitive and refers specifically to speaking or writing that departs from the main subject. 'Sidetrack' is often transitive/passive and can refer to distracting anything (a person, a project, a conversation) from its goal.
Yes, but it is a technical term. The figurative meaning is far more common in everyday language.
to cause someone to become distracted from the main topic or task.
Sidetrack is usually informal, slightly figurative. common in professional and everyday contexts. in register.
Sidetrack: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsaɪd.træk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsaɪd.træk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Go down a sidetrack”
- “To be led up a sidetrack”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a train being moved onto a SIDE TRACK. It's no longer on the main line to its destination, just as a sidetracked person is off their main path.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS A JOURNEY ALONG A PATH (the main track); DISTRACTION IS A DIVERSION TO A SIDE PATH.
Practice
Quiz
In which of these sentences is 'sidetrack' used INCORRECTLY?