is sidelined

USAGE SUMMARY

"is sidelined" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone being set aside or excluded from participation or activity. Example: "The player is sidelined due to an injury." Alternative expressions include "is excluded" and "is set aside."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Linsanity is sidelined.

The New York Times - Sports

Yet he is sidelined.

The Economist

Ms. Talarico is sidelined in this dispute.

The New York Times

He is sidelined, but sits on the bench.

The New York Times - Sports

But Wilson's assignment becomes more difficult if Revis is sidelined.

The New York Times - Sports

Fleury, who played Monday night against Ottawa, is sidelined indefinitely.

The New York Times - Sports

Bledsoe is sidelined at least two weeks, probably more.

The New York Times - Sports

In Italy, said Mr Padoa-Schioppa, politics never stops, and so policy is sidelined.

The Economist

Elliot Ward (knee) is also nearing a comeback, but James Vaughan (knee) is sidelined.

Independent

Mr Yeltsin is sidelined, Mr Primakov perhaps taking over from him in a snap presidential election.

The Economist

The Norwegian sprint specialist Thor Hushovd is sidelined with a viral infection.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In sports journalism, pair it with the specific cause using "with" or "by" (e.g., "is sidelined with a knee injury") to provide necessary context.

Common error

Do not use "is sidelined" to describe someone who has chosen to take a break or retire. The phrase implies an external force, such as an injury, a coach's decision or political maneuver, has forced them out of the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is sidelined" serves as a passive verb construction. According to Ludwig AI, it functions as a state-of-being or a resultant state where an agent (injury, decision-maker or situation) has removed the subject from the primary activity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

10%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is sidelined" is a highly versatile and correct English expression used to describe the exclusion of a person or idea from the main field of action. Based on the 60 examples analyzed by Ludwig, it is most prevalent in sports journalism to describe player injuries and in political reporting to describe the marginalization of policies or leaders. Ludwig AI confirms that its usage is consistently high across authoritative sources like The New York Times and the BBC. When writing, remember that it carries a connotation of being forced out by external factors rather than leaving voluntarily. It is a robust choice for both literal and metaphorical contexts where participation has been interrupted.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is benched

Uses a more specific sports-centric metaphor for being removed from active play.

is excluded

A more general term for being left out of a process or group.

is marginalized

Focuses on being pushed to the edges of power or influence.

is out of action

Informal way to describe being unable to participate due to injury or failure.

is incapacitated

A formal and often medical way to describe someone unable to function.

is set aside

Suggests a deliberate choice to ignore or pause something.

is put on the back burner

Idiomatic expression meaning a task or person is currently low priority.

is rendered inactive

Highly formal and technical phrasing for being stopped.

is taken out of play

Highlights the external force or decision that removed the person.

is pushed to the periphery

Formal way to describe losing central importance.

FAQs

How do I use "is sidelined" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a person or entity being removed from participation. For example, "The star player <a href="/s/is+sidelined" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is sidelined with a hamstring injury" or "The proposed legislation <a href="/s/is+sidelined" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is sidelined due to political infighting".

What can I say instead of "is sidelined"?

Depending on the context, you can use "<a href="/s/is+benched" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is benched" for sports, "<a href="/s/is+marginalized" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is marginalized" for social issues or "<a href="/s/is+excluded" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is excluded" for general situations.

Is "is sidelined" formal enough for academic writing?

Yes, it is widely used in academic and professional contexts to describe policy exclusion or being pushed to the periphery of a narrative. An alternative like "<a href="/s/is+rendered+inactive" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is rendered inactive" might be even more formal.

What's the difference between "is sidelined" and "is benched"?

While both imply exclusion, "<a href="/s/is+benched" target="_blank" rel="alternative">is benched" specifically suggests a coach's decision based on performance, whereas "is sidelined" is broader and often refers to injury or external circumstances.