beside

1 of 2

preposition

be·​side bi-ˈsīd How to pronounce beside (audio)
bē-
Synonyms of besidenext
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
see also:

beside

2 of 2

adverb

1
archaic : nearby
2
archaic : besides

Synonyms of beside

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Preposition
The 1,200-square-foot building sits beside a private pond at the edge of a forest in Pond Eddy, a hamlet in Sullivan County. Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 27 May 2026 The president also wants to repaint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building beside the White House and build a 250-foot arch at the nearby Lincoln Memorial — the same monument where weigh-ins for the upcoming UFC fight are scheduled to take place, bout organizers say. Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Adverb
The other positions itself beside, as if to partner in the journey, with the intent to grow. Mary Hemphill, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 On the floor beside or behind refrigerators with ice makers. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beside

Word History

Etymology

Preposition and Adverb

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English be sīdan at or to the side, from be at (from ) + 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

Time Traveler
The first known use of beside was in the 13th century

Cite this Entry

“Beside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beside. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

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

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