alongside

American  

[uh-lawng-sahyd, uh-long-] / əˈlɔŋˈsaɪd, əˈlɒŋ- /

adverb

1. along, by, at, or to the side of something.

   We brought the boat alongside.

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preposition

1. beside; by the side of.

   The dog ran alongside me all the way.

2. Informal. alongside of, compared with.

   Alongside of his brother, he is no student at all.

alongside British  

/ əˈlɒŋˌsaɪd /

preposition

1. (often foll by of) along the side of; along beside

   alongside the quay

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adverb

1. along the side of some specified thing

   come alongside

Etymology

Origin of alongside

First recorded in 1700–10; along + side ¹

Explanation

Use the adverb alongside when two things are right next to each other, like a boat and a dock or a hunter and her loyal dog. If you pull up alongside your friend's car in a parking lot, it means that you've parked directly beside it. Alongside can also imply cooperation, as when a baker's assistant works alongside him, kneading dough and wiping flour off the counter. Alongside was once a phrase, either "along side" or "along the side," both primarily used in a nautical sense, to talk about boats. In the 1700s it became a single word.

Example Sentences

Obrokta watched his son at preseason practices alongside dozens of talented transfers with a sense of satisfaction, he recalled.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026

"To the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members - some who are still battling the flames – know that the State of Colorado mourns alongside you," the governor added.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

He asked for patience in rebuilding the team alongside Jolly.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2026

Those digging for her listened to her cries for help alongside her mother's uncontrollable sobbing.

From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026

Gelifen couldn’t yet fly alongside her, so she tucked him into her jumper, his beaked face protruding from the blue wool at the top.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell