ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sidelined

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsaɪdˌɫaɪnd// UK //sˈaɪdlaɪnd// side·lined

adj. pushed to the side or kept out of the main action. You use this when someone is ignored or not allowed to participate in something important.

adj. removed from the centre of activity or influence; prevented from playing an active role in a situation. Often used predicatively after linking verbs or as a participial adjective modifying a noun.


SIMPLE

He felt sidelined when his team didn't ask for his opinion.

CONTEXTUAL

The experienced diplomat was sidelined during the final negotiations in favor of younger, more aggressive representatives.

COMPLEX

Even the most innovative ideas can be sidelined if the institutional culture prioritizes short-term stability over the risks associated with genuine structural change.

Synonyms
Usage

Often follows linking verbs like 'feel', 'be', or 'become'; can also be used as a past participle in passive constructions.

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