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
Synonyms
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
Monica Mendal, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
The limousines of the prime minister and his lackeys are parked beside the gangway.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In images released by police in Willowick, a city located along Lake Erie, the suspect is seen standing outside a black vehicle beside another white car at the drive-thru window, pointing a firearm at the employee inside.
—USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Capri, who is wearing a princess-like tulle dress, smiles wide beside her older sister Bianka.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
In one darkened room, a platoon of commandos slept on the floor beside hallways strewn with trash.
—Lorenzo Tugnoli, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Such a candidate must always play Sancho Panza to someone else's Don Quixote, riding the burrow beside the questing knight.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 30 Mar. 2024
While the draining of reservoirs let loose heavy loads of sediment, there are also areas where piles of sand, gravel and clay lie up to 15 feet deep beside tributary streams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
That effort increased the trust level between us at the same time a robot beside us commented on my interviewing prowess.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Amanda Fortini, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
In one picture, the actress looks away from the camera outside by a tree, while another snap features Miller standing beside what appears to be an airplane.
—Jillian Pretzel, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2023
Christopher Borrelli sat beside recently in the lobby of a School of the Art Institute of Chicago building on Michigan Avenue.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2023
The river is open for swimming, wading or just to sit beside while enjoying its splashy serenade.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Observers standing beside, or passing by, the lab’s fish tanks could hear a continuous buzzing sound, and this led to identifying the fish itself as the source of the sound.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
The park’s location beside to the Weston Branch Library, Broward Community College and other schools means the area is sure to sometimes double as an outdoor classroom.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
During spring and summer, place the plants beside — not directly in front of — a north- or east-facing window, which provides less exposure than one facing south or west.
—Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2024
At the season-four Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion, for example, Teresa Giudice switched couches halfway through to more effectively yell at those who she’d been seated beside.
—Vulture, 10 Jan. 2024
Preposition
Guests can then wind down with a drink beside the garden lap pool or in the Guinguette café.
—Monica Mendal, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
The limousines of the prime minister and his lackeys are parked beside the gangway.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In images released by police in Willowick, a city located along Lake Erie, the suspect is seen standing outside a black vehicle beside another white car at the drive-thru window, pointing a firearm at the employee inside.
—USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Capri, who is wearing a princess-like tulle dress, smiles wide beside her older sister Bianka.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
In one darkened room, a platoon of commandos slept on the floor beside hallways strewn with trash.
—Lorenzo Tugnoli, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Such a candidate must always play Sancho Panza to someone else's Don Quixote, riding the burrow beside the questing knight.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 30 Mar. 2024
While the draining of reservoirs let loose heavy loads of sediment, there are also areas where piles of sand, gravel and clay lie up to 15 feet deep beside tributary streams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
That effort increased the trust level between us at the same time a robot beside us commented on my interviewing prowess.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Adverb
On the eighty-ninth floor, the very top of the hotel, attendees sat beside long, curved windows overlooking the Strip, the lights of the city spread out below like a sequinned scarf.
—Amanda Fortini, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
In one picture, the actress looks away from the camera outside by a tree, while another snap features Miller standing beside what appears to be an airplane.
—Jillian Pretzel, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2023
Christopher Borrelli sat beside recently in the lobby of a School of the Art Institute of Chicago building on Michigan Avenue.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2023
The river is open for swimming, wading or just to sit beside while enjoying its splashy serenade.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Observers standing beside, or passing by, the lab’s fish tanks could hear a continuous buzzing sound, and this led to identifying the fish itself as the source of the sound.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
The park’s location beside to the Weston Branch Library, Broward Community College and other schools means the area is sure to sometimes double as an outdoor classroom.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
During spring and summer, place the plants beside — not directly in front of — a north- or east-facing window, which provides less exposure than one facing south or west.
—Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2024
At the season-four Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion, for example, Teresa Giudice switched couches halfway through to more effectively yell at those who she’d been seated beside.
—Vulture, 10 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beside.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of beside was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing beside
Dictionary Entries Near beside
Cite this Entry
“Beside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beside. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
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
More from Merriam-Webster on beside
Nglish: Translation of beside for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of beside for Arabic Speakers
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