How to Use sidestep in a Sentence

sidestep

1 of 2 verb
  • She sidestepped the reporter's question.
  • They're sidestepping the real issue.
  • Most of us appeared to sidestep the soup of bugs that cause colds.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 29 May 2021
  • Why not sidestep the middle meal and skip straight to the endgame?
    — Leah Eskin, chicagotribune.com, 9 July 2018
  • Trump took hours to sidestep their ruling.
    — Theodore R. Johnson, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Maybe this was the loophole through which buyers were sidestepping the law.
    — Paul Kvinta, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2019
  • Kennedy largely sidestepped the questions.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Western norms can make sidestepping names a source of distress.
    — Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2025
  • It’s often sidestepped on the dessert spread—or prone to endless regifting.
    — Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025
  • But the grumbling sidesteps a sharp question.
    — Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 19 June 2026
  • To sidestep making that too central to the plot, or was that always the plan?
    — Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 26 July 2021
  • This is not the first time that Wisconsin has sidestepped the compact.
    — Anna Clark, Twin Cities, 3 Sep. 2019
  • In fairness, even Amorim sidestepped the barbs of Keane.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
  • But our guides are discerning and sidestep the first few crates in search of fresher catch.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2022
  • For this reason, sidestepping Machado, came as a shock to many.
    — Javier Corrales, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Nintendo, on the other hand, has sidestepped this boom and bust cycle.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
  • Wise sidestepped a question about whether Campbell’s arm length could be a detriment.
    — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Tua had to be nimble in the pocket with good footwork to sidestep rushers at times and was sacked once.
    — Dave Hyde, sun-sentinel.com, 22 Aug. 2021
  • Darnold sidestepped him, moved up in the pocket and extended the play toward the right sideline.
    — Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
  • In the first half, Thompson faked his defender into the air and sidestepped to the left.
    — Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • There are some reasons to believe the Padres can sidestep a case of Dodger-itis.
    — Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Oct. 2022
  • But in the context of disability, there’s no way to sidestep ableism.
    — Time, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Asked about his future on Wednesday, Rodgers sidestepped most of the questions.
    — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026
  • But confronting the issues of the day was as much a part of Haynes’ style as sidestepping linebackers.
    — Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 19 July 2024
  • At least at the moment, the virus has not hit upon a way to fully sidestep the immune system.
    — New York Times, 16 May 2022
  • Use brief commands Tantrums can often be sidestepped with commands that are brief, simple, and to the point.
    — Shaun Dreisbach, Parents, 29 June 2023
  • Use brief commands Tantrums can often be sidestepped with brief, simple, and to-the-point commands.
    — Shaun Dreisbach, Parents, 29 June 2023
  • Why sidestep the Aztecs with the fancy footwork of a bullfighter all those years?
    — Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2020
  • Leavitt sidestepped questions about who currently controls the oil route.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
  • For his part, Villeneuve is looking to sidestep the places where both of those directors erred.
    — Angela Watercutter, Wired, 9 Sep. 2020

side step

2 of 2 noun
  • To help, there are steel side step rails with rubber pads on each side.
    — G. Chambers Williams Iii, star-telegram, 7 Dec. 2017
  • One quick burst or side step to avoid the rush could make his hamstring worse.
    — Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 7 Oct. 2017
  • Take 3 to 4 more steps, then reverse and side step back to the cable stack.
    — Jen Murphy, WSJ, 16 June 2022
  • Practical touches are power side steps that fold out of the way when the truck is parked or on the move.
    — Houston Chronicle, 20 Mar. 2020
  • An available side step is there to make accessing the bed a bit easier.
    — Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 10 May 2023
  • This truffle recipe side steps that process and gives you a DIY love gift that can't be beat!
    — Redbook, 11 Feb. 2014
  • The driver’s- and passenger-side step-ups are permanent.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 31 May 2026
  • This side step might not work for everything, like video game apps, for which there is often no way to pay for stuff on a website.
    — Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2022
  • Rogers pump fakes and side steps (travels didn't exist back then either, apparently).
    — Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2020
  • There isn’t a common world of respect from one human to another that side steps gender – and for women, side steps age.
    — Janelle Davis, CNN, 12 Mar. 2023
  • Once inside, the floor immediately drops a foot; Clara side steps to the right, bumping against her bed.
    — Sarah Fowler, The Seattle Times, 19 Jan. 2018
  • Unless both sides step back from the brink and some compromise is reached, the protests look likely to keep intensifying.
    — Helen Regan, CNN, 7 Oct. 2019
  • Bring your left foot slightly in, keeping tension on the band, and continuing to side step to the right like this for 10 steps.
    — Stephanie Mansour, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2019
  • The actress and activist was handcuffed on the east side steps and escorted into a police vehicle.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 12 Oct. 2019
  • There may be a way to side step this cumbersome manufacturing process, however.
    — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2017
  • Visitors can access the hall of fame from outside the stadium, then on the other side step onto a plaza that allows fans to look out over the blue turf.
    — Berry Tramel, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2021
  • In recent weeks, the fighting has intensified as foreign backers of the two sides stepped up their military support.
    — Bloomberg.com, 15 May 2020
  • Explosive straight-line driver who uses smooth footwork, side steps, and spins to get to the rim and finish ambidextrously with power or touch.
    — Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com, 17 May 2018
  • The Sierra now offers power-retractable side steps and an active exhaust system available on upper trims.
    — Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 8 Apr. 2023
  • Power-deploying side steps make climbing into the Power Wagon a breeze.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2024
  • Opting for the new trim includes new fender flares, lower door garnishes, side steps, and bed rails, as well as trim-specific orange center caps for the wheels.
    — Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 5 July 2023
  • McFeely and the Russos were so smart with Civil War to side step rehashing the origin story.
    — Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Dec. 2021
  • Will TikTok refugees leave once their enthusiasm fades, or will regulators from either side step in?
    — Jianqing Chen, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Ideal for residential use on small- to medium-sized yards, the compact tractor is user-friendly and effortless to mount and dismount, thanks to its handy side step.
    — Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2023
  • Vanspeed keeps the exterior fairly simple, adding in an all-terrain wheel and tire package, full-length roof rack, driver-side roof ladder, side steps and a rear spare tire carrier.
    — New Atlas, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Jamie Vardy equalised for Leicester midway through the first half against the run of play, before Pep Guardiola's side stepped up the pace after the break.
    — SI.com, 10 Feb. 2018
  • Martin is dribbling around a chair and darting to the corner and taking that big, exaggerated side step NBA players use to find room for a jumper.
    — Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2018
  • In Basso’s class, the mostly over-60 students move fluidly and confidently through side steps, lunges, and sweeping arm motions.
    — The Editors, Outside Online, 1 Jan. 2020
  • This resistance band exercise is a modification of lunges and side steps to build strength in the muscles supporting your knees, ideally without triggering any existing knee pain.
    — Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 8 June 2026
  • Other exterior modifications, all of which have subtly been worked into the design, include side steps, grab handles to assist with entry and exit, mud flaps, a trunk liner, and a dog guard for the queen’s beloved pets.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sidestep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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