sideways

/ˈsaɪdˌweɪz/
adjective
  1. Directed or moving to one side; not straight ahead.
    • The car made a sideways skid on the icy road.
    • The dog walked with a sideways hop because of its injured paw.
    • He gave her a sideways look of suspicion.
  2. Unconventional or not following the usual path.
    • His sideways thinking helped the team solve the puzzle.
    • She took a sideways career move into teaching after years in finance.
    • The artist had a sideways approach to painting that surprised everyone.
adverb
  1. To, toward, or from one side; with one side facing forward.
    • He glanced sideways at his friend to see his reaction.
    • She slid sideways into the narrow gap between the cars.
    • The crab moved sideways across the sand.
  2. In a way that is indirect or not straightforward.
    • Her comment came sideways, hinting at something she didn't want to say directly.
    • They approached the problem sideways, looking for creative solutions.
    • The question caught him sideways, and he didn't know how to answer.
What does "sideways" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean