beside

1 of 2

preposition

be·​side bi-ˈsīd 

bē-

1

a

: by the side of

walk beside me

a house beside a small lake

b

: in comparison with

potential complications are minor beside the benefits

c

: on a par with

a composition that can be ranked beside that of the masters

2

: not relevant to

but that's beside the point

3

: besides

No one knows beside me.

learning other languages beside French and English

beside

2 of 2

adverb

1

archaic : nearby

2

archaic : besides

Phrases

beside oneself

: in a state of extreme excitement

Synonyms

Preposition

• as well as
• besides
• beyond
• over and above

Examples of beside in a Sentence

Preposition

She sat beside him during dinner.

The man beside her was wearing a brown suit and hat.

They were walking beside me.

Stand beside the statue and I'll take your picture.

Their house is beside a small lake.

These problems seem unimportant beside the potential benefits of the new system.

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

Sitting beside someone in a group or leaning in slightly during a conversation signals attention and care without the need for words. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Karl-Anthony Towns, seated beside him, waved the crowd on, relishing the moment as their team cruised to victory. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024

Adverb

In another photo, JAY-Z was photographed capturing Blue Ivy on the field, jumping for joy — while Rumi stood beside watching her big sister. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024

These two n-s that I’ve just been blessed to even stand beside in this game, let alone chase — chase their greatness, right? —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Preposition and Adverb

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English be sīdan at or to the side, from be at (from bī) + sīdan, dative & accusative of sīde side — more at by

First Known Use

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing beside

• beside oneself
• beside the point

Kids Definition

beside

preposition

be·​side

bi-ˈsīd

1

a

: by the side of

walk beside me

b

: in comparison with

the kitten looks tiny beside that big dog

2

: besides entry 1

was the only one, beside me, who objected

3

: not relating to

beside the point