aside

1 of 3

adverb

ə-ˈsīd 

1

: to or toward the side

stepped aside

2

: away from others or into privacy

pulled him aside

3

: out of the way especially for future use : away

putting aside savings

4

: away from one's thought or consideration

All kidding aside, we really need to get busy.

aside

2 of 3

noun

1

: an utterance not meant to be heard by someone

especially : an actor's speech heard by the audience but supposedly not by other characters

2

: a comment or discussion that does not relate directly to the main subject being discussed : digression

He frequently interrupted his narrative with amusing asides.

aside

3 of 3

preposition

obsolete

: beyond, past

Synonyms

Noun

• tangent

Examples of aside in a Sentence

Adverb

He stepped aside and let her pass.

He threw his coat aside.

She laid the book aside.

He elbowed people aside as he moved through the crowd.

He took her aside to speak to her privately.

Someone grabbed him and pulled him aside.

Noun

She made a joke about the food in a muttered aside to her husband.

The book includes several lengthy asides about the personal lives of scientists involved in the project.

In his speech he mentioned her contributions almost as an aside, despite the fact that she was the one who came up with the idea originally.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Potential breaks for employers Other changes that would allow workers to set aside more of their income on a pre-tax basis in flexible spending accounts for care expenses, from $5,000 to $7,500, are also likely to provide the largest benefits to higher income workers. —David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Season to taste with salt and black pepper and set aside. —Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Noun

In an aside, which also showcased Canonero’s work, the conversation also played an extract from Barry Lyndon in which Lyndon (Ryan O’Neal) blows smoke in the face of his new wife Lady Honoria Lyndon (Marisa Beronson), revealing how Coppola had later referenced the scene in Priscilla. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025

Mother Mary Comes to Me mostly proceeds in a straight line through Roy’s life, but the author can’t resist editorializing or indulging in frequent asides, pausing the action to tell the reader how something will unfold. —Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025

Preposition

Setting aside the brewing shutdown brawl, allowing the subsidies to go by the way side could also be politically untenable for certain vulnerable Republicans and tee up voter backlash in next year’s midterms. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025

Some of the most forward-thinking companies create room for curiosity by allowing employees to pursue side projects or by setting aside time to explore questions outside their immediate responsibilities. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

see side entry 1

Noun

see side entry 1

Preposition

see side entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1592, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing aside

• aside from
• brush aside
• cast aside
• joking aside
• lay aside
• pull aside
• push aside
• put aside
• set aside
• stand aside
• step aside
• sweep aside
• take (someone) aside
• wave aside

Rhymes for aside

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

Kids Definition

aside

1 of 2 adverb

ə-ˈsīd 

1

: to or toward the side

stepped aside

2

: out of the way especially for future use : away

put money aside for school

3

: away from one's thought or consideration

all kidding aside

aside

2 of 2 noun

: words meant not to be heard by someone

especially : an actor's words supposedly not heard by others on the stage