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

---

1. anyway; moreover

adverb

1. as well

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; see origin at beside, -s ¹

Example Sentences

And finally, there is the question of the Quad - a group that also includes Australia and Japan, besides India and the US.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

Wright needs to convince consumers that the burger chain still offers something unique in a crowded fast-food market besides nostalgia.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

But besides both being viruses, the similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and hantavirus actually aren’t close.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

“One of our jobs, your Honor, as you know very well, besides advocating for our clients, is protecting them from themselves,” Aidala told the judge.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

The biggest advocate for this bold undertaking, besides Father Jack, was Jim Kim.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French