Definition of "sideshow" [sideshow]

• A small show offered in addition to the main attraction, as at a circus. (noun)
• A diversion or spectacle that is incidental to a larger set of circumstances or a bigger issue of concern: "Administrations with little room to maneuver at home have historically looked for sideshows abroad” ( Joan Didion). (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Another sideshow is the battle for the green points jersey."
• "Whitman told reporters after the debate the controversy is a sideshow from the issues Californians want to focus on, such as jobs and education."
• "The sideshow is another thing: there are all kinds of horrifying, shocking tales!"