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.
But besides pleasantries, both measured their words carefully about the cooperation between Ukraine and Russia during the Oleshky truce, and beyond.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Abiy said besides the advanced capabilities of the aircraft from Russia, the use of drones was equally important in strengthening deterrence.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
And besides, growing up means owning a home.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
What does Gillis have, besides a large audience of followers and a Netflix show, that others who’ve never hosted the show don’t?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Mary Lou, the only kid besides Jeremy who knew what had really happened, had her hands over her mouth.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
