Meaning & use
sidestroke
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountable
A way of swimming on one side, using a scissor kick and moving the arms one after the other.
Grammar: Can be used with 'a' or without: He swam the sidestroke. / She used sidestroke.
Patterns
- swim the sidestroke
- use the sidestroke
- the sidestroke is ...
The lifeguard swam the sidestroke to reach the swimmer quickly.
She learned the sidestroke because it is easy to keep going for a long time.
In the sidestroke, you lie on your side and move your legs like scissors.
Word forms
| plural | sidestrokes |
|---|
Common combinations
- swim the sidestroke
- He can swim the sidestroke very smoothly.
- learn the sidestroke
- Children often learn the sidestroke before the butterfly.
- use the sidestroke
- Rescue swimmers often use the sidestroke.
Synonyms and how they differ
- side stroke
- A less common spelling with a space; the meaning is the same.
Word family
- stroke noun
- A single movement of the arm or leg, or a style of swimming.
Commonly confused: sidestroke or backstroke?
sidestroke vs backstroke
Backstroke is swum on your back, not on your side.
Practice
In the sidestroke, the swimmer lies on ___.
Choose one answer.
The sidestroke is done lying on one side, so 'one side' is correct. 'The back' describes backstroke, and 'the front' or 'the stomach' would be more like freestyle or breaststroke.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sidestroke”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.