wayside

American  

[wey-sahyd] / ˈweɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. the side of the way; land immediately adjacent to a road, highway, path, etc.; roadside.

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adjective

1. being, situated, or found at or along the wayside.

   a wayside inn.

wayside British  

/ ˈweɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. 1. the side or edge of a road

   2. (modifier) situated by the wayside

      a wayside inn

2. to cease or fail to continue doing something

   of the nine starters, three fell by the wayside

3. to be put aside on account of something more urgent

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wayside Idioms  

1. see fall by the wayside.

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Etymology

Origin of wayside

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at way ¹, side ¹

Example Sentences

Some have gone by the wayside, like the now-closed restaurant on the beach that served the best bouillabaisse.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Traditional punch cards have gone by the wayside because they treat infrequent visitors and heavy spenders the same, which leave top customers feeling underappreciated, says Evercore ISI analyst David Palmer.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

As the skies over Switzerland darken with the usual billionaires’ jets, the old Davos agenda is falling by the wayside.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

The boring and soft-spoken, but effective, tenets of earning money, stacking it and growing it fall to the wayside.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

The hobbits sat in shadow by the wayside.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien