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
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
Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
Take the trip to Colwyn Bay, for example, when so many fans descended on the coastal Welsh town a large number had to watch the game from a farmer’s field on a hill beside the ground.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
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
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
Since then, about 80,000 permits have been issued for building ADUs behind or beside existing homes.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
Take the trip to Colwyn Bay, for example, when so many fans descended on the coastal Welsh town a large number had to watch the game from a farmer’s field on a hill beside the ground.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 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
Cite this Entry
“Beside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beside. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share