aside

American  

[uh-sahyd] / əˈsaɪd /

adverb

1. on or to one side; to or at a short distance apart; away from some position or direction.

   to turn aside; to move the chair aside.

2. away from one's thoughts or consideration.

   to put one's cares aside.

3. in reserve; in a separate place, as for safekeeping; apart; away.

   to put some money aside for a rainy day.

4. away from a present group, especially for reasons of privacy; off to another part, as of a room; into or to a separate place.

   He took him aside and talked business.

5. in spite of; put apart; notwithstanding.

   all kidding aside; unusual circumstances aside.

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noun

1. a part of an actor's lines supposedly not heard by others on the stage and intended only for the audience.

2. words spoken so as not to be heard by others present.

3. a temporary departure from a main theme or topic, especially a parenthetical comment or remark; short digression.

idioms

1. aside from,

   1. apart from; besides; excluding.

      Aside from her salary, she receives money from investments.

   2. except for.

      They had no more food, aside from a few stale rolls.

aside British  

/ əˈsaɪd /

adverb

1. on or to one side

   they stood aside to let him pass

2. out of hearing; in or into seclusion

   he took her aside to tell her of his plan

3. away from oneself

   he threw the book aside

4. out of mind or consideration

   he put aside all fears

5. in or into reserve

   to put aside money for old age

6. (preposition)

   1. besides

      he has money aside from his possessions

   2. except for Compare apart

      he has nothing aside from the clothes he stands in

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noun

1. something spoken by an actor, intended to be heard by the audience, but not by the others on stage

2. any confidential statement spoken in undertones

3. a digression

aside More Idioms  

1. see all joking aside; lay aside; set aside; take aside.

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-aside
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of aside

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

Explanation

If something's aside, it's not in the middle of things — it's off to the side, either literally or figuratively, as with the papers and books you push aside on the couch, to make room to sit. When you ignore your conscience, you're pushing your best instincts aside. You can put money aside, to save it for the future. In a play, when an actor steps out of character and speaks directly to the audience, that's an aside. The expression "all joking aside," means "stop kidding around and get serious" as in, "All joking aside, you're not really going bungee jumping, are you?"

Example Sentences

Big-ticket purchases like a first car or down payment on a home become much more achievable during their formative years if a parent intentionally set money aside to help cover costs.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

The teachers union shares this priority, asserting that more money could be set aside for salary increases.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

“They have also set aside additional funds to absorb potential loan losses. This positions them to support the economy and financial system, even in a severe downturn.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

The EU's six biggest economies vowed Thursday to set aside differences and speed up integration of their financial markets as the bloc seeks to catch up with the United States and China.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

She stepped aside and eased the door shut behind her.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• alone
• away
• out
• separately