sideshow
sideshow Lexical Profile
sideshow Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A minor or subordinate incident, issue, or activity that diverts attention from a more important main event or concern.
"The heated debate over procedural rules quickly became a sideshow that distracted lawmakers from the urgent budget negotiations."
A small show or stall of attractions at a fair, carnival, or circus, subsidiary to the main attraction.
"Children gathered outside the tent to watch the jugglers and fire-eaters performing in the carnival sideshow."
American An informal, often illegal gathering of motorists on a public street or intersection to perform vehicular stunts such as donuts and burnouts.
"City officials increased traffic patrols over the weekend to prevent late-night sideshows from blocking major intersections."
• Rhymes for sideshow
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the mid-19th century, formed in English as a compound of 'side' (in the sense of subsidiary or subordinate) and 'show'.