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

see also:

beside oneself

beside

2 of 2

adverb

1

archaic : nearby

2

archaic : besides

Synonyms of beside

Preposition

• besides
• along with

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

The hotel’s focus on wellness is also a draw—beyond the Dune Spa, there’s a lap pool and gym tucked beside the yoga pavilion, as well as tennis courts that can be reserved for both tennis and pickleball. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026

Kim’s teenage daughter, widely believed to be named Ju Ae, again appeared prominently at the parade beside her father. —Will Ripley, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026

Adverb

The good news is that the France international enjoyed a good loan spell at Juventus in the second half of last season — mostly under Tudor — scoring 10 goals across 19 matches in the league and Club World Cup, occasionally playing beside or behind Dusan Vlahovic. —Thom Harris, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026

Silverbacks learn which humans are safe to sit beside. —Kristin Newman, HollywoodReporter, 2 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for beside

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

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