besides
Americanadverb
preposition
-
over and above; in addition to.
Besides a mother he has a sister to support.
-
other than; except.
There's no one here besides Bill and me.
preposition
adverb
Commonly Confused
See beside.
Synonym Usage
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; see origin at 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.
For clients who are renting, Pepperday looks for ways to help them put their money to work besides investing in a house.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Against Birmingham, she had more entries in the final third than any team-mate besides Gracie Prior and 16 touches in the opposition box.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
This spending is unique for a number of reasons, besides the eye-popping numbers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
The airline revealed scant details on the lounges, including who gets in besides the holders of a premium credit card that will launch next year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Elliot never winced; he never showed any sort of emotion besides cocky self-assuredness peppered with the occasional temper spike.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
