beside

1 of 2

preposition

be·​side bi-ˈsīd How to pronounce beside (audio)
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

beside

2 of 2

adverb

1
archaic : nearby
2
archaic : besides
Phrases
beside oneself
: in a state of extreme excitement

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
Prior to The Studio, Monterroso Mejia also worked beside actors like Keke Palmer in One of Them Days, Will Ferrell in You’re Cordially Invited, and Quinta Brunson in Abbott Elementary. Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025 For a larger living room, a rectangular table beside a sofa balances the scale and provides ample space for a lamp, decor, and everyday necessities. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2025
Adverb
Suarez appeared beside in him a photo from the exciting event. Michael Nied, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Focus on the Arts 2025 was a consecutive multi-day festival starting on April 1 that allowed students to work beside and learn from professional artists across multiple disciplines. Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beside. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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

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