How to Use sideways in a Sentence

sideways

adverb or adjective
  • This is how things go sideways.
    — New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
  • That is when things went sideways.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
  • Things went sideways from there.
    — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
  • And rain come blowin’ sideways.
    — David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • And that's when things went sideways.
    — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
  • Just got to my rear bumper, turned me sideways.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2025
  • But the bear would dart sideways or back off just out of range.
    — Alaska Dispatch News, 21 July 2017
  • When stuff gets hard or when things go sideways, don’t flinch.
    — Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Then hold the rod tip low and make a sharp, sideways back cast.
    — Mark Hicks, Field & Stream, 29 June 2020
  • Kim claims to not be tech-savvy, and her first episode was sideways.
    — Jenny Townsend, Wired, 1 Mar. 2022
  • There are the good projects, the tricky ones and the ones that go sideways.
    — Peter Boyd, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • So why burn up the rulebook just to spin the bed sideways?
    — New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Too many offers feel like a step up, but lead you sideways.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Would this change our friendship if things go sideways?
    — Steve Hruby, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Some have faces that are plastered on sideways.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Her legs were rigid, and one of her feet was twisted sideways.
    — Larissa MacFarquhar, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2023
  • Hop sideways to the right, landing on both feet.
    — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Grass moths that darted sideways through the air.
    — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
  • There’s plenty of time for things to go sideways down the road.
    — James Yasko, Chron, 16 June 2022
  • The man tilted his head, looked sideways and raised his weapon.
    — Frances Stead Sellers, Washington Post, 13 July 2018
  • The at-bats have gone sideways, not only for me but for the team.
    — Mike Digiovannastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
  • Lay sideways on the ground, then place the foam roller under your hip.
    — Health Editorial Team, Health, 4 Dec. 2023
  • First off, things can quickly go sideways.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
  • Passed the ball sideways across the pitch, also called a square ball.
    — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 June 2026
  • Every guy looks at me sideways.
    — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
  • To use a land card to pay mana, tap the land card by turning it sideways.
    — Bailey Gates, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2023
  • But Bucky Ball can bounce sideways, too.
    — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Show that sideways can lead forward.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Don’t tilt the blade sideways, which might cause a corner to dig in and scratch.
    — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023
  • Here’s where things often go sideways.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sideways.' 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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