sideman

noun

side·​man ˈsīd-ˌman How to pronounce sideman (audio)
: a member of a band or orchestra and especially of a jazz or swing orchestra

Examples of sideman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
George Duke had been a sideman for Frank Zappa and Cannonball Adderley before launching a successful solo career, and his 1977 album Reach For It had recently gone gold. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 Zisman gave up the sideman hustle years ago but has kept a foot in the scene by accompanying vocalist Kim Nalley, a chair he’s held down for decades. — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 Hakim, a genre chameleon who has performed as a sideman for Adrianne Lenker, made a record with the jazz saxophonist Roy Nathanson, and been sampled by T-Pain, has also claimed minimalist icons Steve Reich and Terry Riley as influences. — Mitch Therieau, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026 The vocalist’s wide-ranging gifts and moods benefit from the versatile skill set of the sometime-sideman for Erykah Badu and Madlib. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sideman

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sideman was in 1919

Rhymes for sideman

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Browse Nearby Words

side-look
sideman
side meat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sideman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideman. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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