# side issue

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/side-issue
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

## Examples

- Let's focus on the main problem, not side issues.
- The manager refused to discuss side issues until the budget crisis was resolved.
- Amid the heated debate over healthcare reform, the senator dismissed questions about her travel expenses as a side issue, urging the committee to return to the legislation at hand.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.