beside
Americanpreposition
-
by or at the side of; near.
Sit down beside me.
-
compared with.
Beside him other writers seem amateurish.
-
apart from; not connected with.
beside the point; beside the question.
adverb
-
along the side of something.
The family rode in the carriage, and the dog ran along beside.
idioms
preposition
-
next to; at, by, or to the side of
-
as compared with
-
away from; wide of
beside the point
-
archaic besides
-
overwhelmed; overwrought
beside oneself with grief
adverb
Commonly Confused
For the prepositional meanings “over and above, in addition to” and “except” besides is preferred, especially in edited writing: Besides these honors he received a sum of money. We heard no other sound besides the breaking surf. However, beside sometimes occurs with these meanings as well.
Etymology
Origin of beside
before 1000; Middle English; earlier bi-siden, Old English bī sīdan, be sīdan; see be-, side 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.
A rustic stew pot nestled beside a little clutch of flowers?
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
"I used to stand beside my mum and dad and sell lemons, five for a shilling," she says.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Hi, everybody,” Dewan said while standing beside Bersten during rehearsals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
In a US city once known for its steel industry, workers enjoy family outings beside retired, rust-streaked blast furnaces.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
Later, my mind drifting, I watch Caesar sleeping with his revolver resting on the ground beside him.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
