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
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
Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The apartment was unusually still, my coffee beside me gone cold, as if bracing for what would come next.
—Adrianne Wright, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Thom Harris, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Silverbacks learn which humans are safe to sit beside.
—Kristin Newman, HollywoodReporter, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beside
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show current usage.
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Preposition
Teacher Claire Jakubiszyn knelt beside a 7-year-old boy, counting beads for an art project.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The apartment was unusually still, my coffee beside me gone cold, as if bracing for what would come next.
—Adrianne Wright, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
The good news is that the France international enjoyed a good loan spell at Juventus in the second half of last season — mostly under Tudor — scoring 10 goals across 19 matches in the league and Club World Cup, occasionally playing beside or behind Dusan Vlahovic.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Silverbacks learn which humans are safe to sit beside.
—Kristin Newman, HollywoodReporter, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beside
Cite this Entry
“Beside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beside. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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