Word
beside
Phoneticsbe·side, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌbiˈsaɪd/
UK/bɪsˈaɪd/
Definitions
01next to
A2 · Elementary
prep. at the side of something or someone; very close to.
prep. at the side of; in close physical proximity to a person or object.
“She sat beside her friend during the long bus ride so they could talk.”
“The small cottage stood beside a winding river, its stone walls weathered by decades of damp winter air.”
Usage
Always followed by a noun or pronoun as its object.
Pitfall
I have many hobbies beside reading.
I have many hobbies besides reading.
Use 'beside' for physical position (next to). Use 'besides' with an 's' to mean 'in addition to' or 'also'.
Teaching tip
Learners frequently confuse 'beside' and 'besides'. Remind them that 'beside' is for location, while 'besides' is for extra information.
Antonyms
02not relevant
B2 · Upper Intermediate
prep. not important or not related to the subject you are talking about.
prep. irrelevant to the matter under consideration; typically used in the phrase 'beside the point'.
“Whether you like the color or not is beside the point; we need a car that works.”
“The witness's personal opinion of the defendant was deemed beside the point by the judge, who requested only factual testimony.”
Usage
Almost exclusively used in the fixed idiom 'beside the point'.
Teaching tip
Teach this as a fixed chunk. It is a polite but firm way to tell someone they are focusing on the wrong detail.
Synonyms
03compared with
C1 · Advanced Literary
prep. compared with something else to show a difference.
prep. in comparison with; used to contrast two things by placing them notionally side-by-side.
“My old phone looks like a toy beside your new one.”
“The local team's achievements seemed modest beside the international success of their rivals.”
Teaching tip
This is a more sophisticated, slightly formal way to make a comparison.
Synonyms
04in addition
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adv. also, or in addition to what has already been said.
adv. in addition; otherwise; else. Used as a sentence connector or terminal adverb.
“The house is too expensive, and beside, it is too far from the city.”
“The evidence was circumstantial at best; beside, the statute of limitations had already expired.”
Usage
Usually placed at the start of a clause or after a semicolon.
Teaching tip
In modern English, 'besides' is almost always preferred for this meaning. This form is mostly found in older literature.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “beside” in context.
Verb
01. place something beside something
“Please place the lamp beside the armchair so I can read more easily.”
verb + noun + prep
02. sit beside someone
“She chose to sit beside her best friend during the long bus ride.”
verb + prep + noun
03. stand beside someone
“The honor guard will stand beside the monument throughout the ceremony.”
verb + prep + noun
04. walk beside someone
“He enjoyed the quiet moments when he could walk beside his father in the garden.”
verb + prep + noun
Noun
05. house beside the sea
“They dreamed of owning a small white house beside the sea.”
noun + prep
06. path beside the river
“We followed the narrow path beside the river until we reached the bridge.”
noun + prep
07. table beside the bed
“I left my glasses on the small wooden table beside the bed.”
noun + prep
Confusables
Beside indicates physical proximity, while besides introduces an additional point or item.
RememberBeside = By the side of; Besides = S added for 'Something extra'.
Real-World Examples
“Nearly 800,000 years ago, early humans living beside a lake in what is now Israel may have chosen the location for one surprisingly practical reason: firewood.” “The site lies only about six meters (20 feet) deep and is located beside an area that served as a jetty.” Etymology
From Middle English beside, besiden, bisyde (also besides > besides), from Old English be sīdan, bī sīdan (“by the side (of), on the side (of)”). Compare Saterland Frisian biesiede (“aside”), German Low German bisied (“aside”), German beiseite (“aside, to one side”). Compare also Dutch terzijde (“aside”). By surface analysis, be- + side.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
PREPOSITION
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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