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

beside

2 of 2

adverb

1

archaic : nearby

2

archaic : besides

Phrases

beside oneself

: in a state of extreme excitement

Synonyms

Preposition

• as well as
• besides
• beyond
• over and above

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

Seated beside the President-elect, who donned a dark suit and royal blue tie, Melania Trump appeared noticeably solemn. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025

The living room has three different zones: a dining area beside the kitchen, a living area in the middle, and a library area at the end. —Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2025

Adverb

Though fire consumed the fourth-century original in 1823, the basilica was immediately — and faithfully — reconstructed on its original footprint beside via Ostiense (a half-hour bus ride south of the center). —David Laskin, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024

In that image, Marius stood next to his stepfather Crown Prince Haakon as Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Queen Sonja sat on a couch together, with King Harald perched beside. —Janine Henni, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024

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

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