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Synonyms

besides

American  
[bih-sahydz] / bɪˈsaɪdz /

adverb

  1. moreover; furthermore; also.

    Besides, I promised her we would come.
    Synonyms:
    further

  2. in addition.

    There are three elm trees and two maples besides.

  3. otherwise; else.

    They had a roof over their heads but not much besides.

preposition

  1. over and above; in addition to.

    Besides a mother he has a sister to support.

  2. other than; except.

    There's no one here besides Bill and me.
besides British  
/ bɪˈsaɪdz /

preposition

  1. apart from; even considering

    besides costing too much, the scheme is impractical
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

  1. anyway; moreover

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. as well

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Commonly Confused

See beside.

Related Words

Besides, moreover both indicate something additional to what has already been stated. Besides often suggests that the addition is in the nature of an afterthought: The bill cannot be paid as yet; besides, the work is not completed. Moreover is more formal and implies that the addition is something particular, emphatic, or important: I did not like the house; moreover, it was too high-priced.

Etymology

Origin of besides

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; beside, -s 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She did not receive a single question that indicated any justice besides Thomas and Alito was seriously considering upholding the policy.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

In the compressed world of a 988 call, in which both counselor and caller are strangers with little information to go on besides the words they exchange, the potential for miscommunication is high.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The DCI had earlier said it was investigating whether there was any criminal activity besides the reported irregularities in the burial process.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

I’d also encourage you to think about what else you can offer besides an empathetic ear.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

She had a bad habit of not talking enough—which was part of the reason she didn’t have any close friends besides Dodger.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.