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 20-year-old victim was sitting beside her attacker on a bench at the Ninth Ave. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026

At a Tuesday afternoon news conference in Sacramento City Hall, the mother and daughter stood beside their attorney, immigration advocates and local lawmakers — many of whom were involved in a weeks-long effort to bring her home. —Mathew Miranda updated March 31, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026

Adverb

Place task lighting beside or behind you, opposite your writing hand. —Brandi Jones, Health, 25 Feb. 2026

Above, beside and below the drum are hidden compartments that carry various seasonings and sauces that automatically drop into the wok according to specific recipes. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 23 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