Beside
/bɪˈsaɪd/
prepositionBeginnerVery CommonGeneral
Meanings
Questions
Definitions
2 meanings1
At the side of; next to.
/bɪˈsaɪd/
prepositionneutralBeginner
General
The car parked beside the tree.
💡 Simply: Next to something or someone.
More Examples
2
She sat beside him on the couch.
How It's Used
General
"The cat sat beside me."
2
Compared with; in contrast to.
/bɪˈsaɪd/
prepositionneutralIntermediate
General
Beside the difficulties, the rewards were worth it.
💡 Simply: When comparing two things, it means one is less important or significant compared to the other.
More Examples
2
Beside her, he seemed quite ordinary.
How It's Used
Comparison
"Beside his talent, her skills seemed insignificant."
Tip:Think 'compared to'.
From Old English *bisīdan, from be- + sīd side.
The word has maintained a consistent meaning throughout its history, primarily focusing on spatial proximity and comparison.
Memory tip
Think 'by the side'.
Practice
Base: beside
besidbesides
Usage
60%Spoken
40%Written