alongside

American  

[uh-lawng-sahyd, uh-long-] / əˈlɔŋˈsaɪd, əˈlɒŋ- /

adverb

1. along, by, at, or to the side of something.

   We brought the boat alongside.

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preposition

1. beside; by the side of.

   The dog ran alongside me all the way.

2. Informal. alongside of, compared with.

   Alongside of his brother, he is no student at all.

alongside British  

/ əˈlɒŋˌsaɪd /

preposition

1. (often foll by of) along the side of; along beside

   alongside the quay

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adverb

1. along the side of some specified thing

   come alongside

Etymology

Origin of alongside

First recorded in 1700–10; along + side ¹

Explanation

Use the adverb alongside when two things are right next to each other, like a boat and a dock or a hunter and her loyal dog. If you pull up alongside your friend's car in a parking lot, it means that you've parked directly beside it. Alongside can also imply cooperation, as when a baker's assistant works alongside him, kneading dough and wiping flour off the counter. Alongside was once a phrase, either "along side" or "along the side," both primarily used in a nautical sense, to talk about boats. In the 1700s it became a single word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alongside

Beijing has grown uneasy over Russia’s deepening military entanglement with North Korea, which has sent troops to fight alongside Russian forces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

“We met at the Latin Grammys a few years ago and really hit it off. A little while back, when I was offered to do the Hollywood Bowl show alongside them, it was a no-brainer.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

His other on screen credits included the mystery drama series Apples Never Fall, alongside Annette Bening.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

In the post, Fecteau said that state police were on the scene alongside the state Department of Public Safety.

From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026

A list of names appears alongside the address, with dates next to them.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler