ENGLISH
REFERENCE

take sides

idiom
Meaning

To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.


Examples
SIMPLE

Please do not take sides in our argument.

CONTEXTUAL

When my two friends started fighting, I refused to take sides because I like them both.

COMPLEX

In the midst of the heated political debate, the moderator struggled to remain neutral and avoid taking sides.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    bright side

    A consoling aspect of a difficult situation.

  3. 03

    butter one's bread on both sides

    To profit from two things at the same time, especially when those things seem contradictory or incompatible.

  4. 04

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  5. 05

    err on the side of

    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biased toward.

  6. 06

    err on the side of caution

    To act in the least risky manner in a situation in which one is uncertain about the consequences.

  7. 07

    forget to take one's medication this morning

    To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.

  8. 08

    get out of bed on the wrong side

    To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.

Last updated April 17, 2026