Besides

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "besides" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as an adverb or an adjective to indicate something in addition to something else. For example: "I don't like the color blue, besides, it looks too bright."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Besides, the groups argued, "We lost the right to marry in California at the ballot box.

The Economist

Besides the prize money, each laureate receives a diploma and a gold medal.

The Guardian

Besides, the argument from security does not convince.

The Guardian - Opinion

Besides, the process of holding drivers to account is easy because you have a means of identifying the miscreant and catching up with them at a later date.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Besides, giving up is not Dai's style.

The Guardian - Film

Besides, it's not faith schools that are the problem: it is the conventional state schools.

The Guardian - Opinion

Besides the beach, Dueodde has Scandinavia's highest lighthouse, two German bunkers, and a much-loved ice-cream parlour, Bornholm Softice, but not much else.

The Guardian - Travel

Besides, if the Lib Dems remove central regulation without allowing parental choice, it is hard to see where the pressure to improve schools would come from.

The Guardian

Besides, he adds, the history of entertainment is littered with white guys who told black stories, and white singers who sang black songs.

The Guardian - Film

Besides the joys of loafing about, you can also swim with dolphins, which was a real treat.

The Guardian - Travel

Besides, every time Cameron or George Osborne deliver lectures about the need to reform the EU, they insist that the eurozone will need to federalise in terms of political, economic, and fiscal integration if the currency is to recover and succeed.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "besides" as a conjunction, ensure it logically connects two related ideas or provides additional justification. It's often followed by a comma.

Common error

Avoid using "besides" when you mean "beside". "Beside" refers to physical proximity (next to), while "besides" means in addition to.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "besides" is as a conjunctive adverb or preposition. As an adverb, it connects clauses, introducing additional information. As a preposition, it signifies 'in addition to' or 'apart from'. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage as a conjunction.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Besides" functions primarily as a conjunctive adverb or preposition, adding information or indicating exceptions. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage. It's commonly found in neutral contexts like news articles, making it versatile for different writing styles. To avoid confusion, remember "besides" means 'in addition to' not 'next to' (beside).

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Moreover

This is a more formal synonym emphasizing the supplementary nature of the information.

Additionally

This adverb directly indicates the addition of another element or point.

Furthermore

Similar to "moreover", this highlights the continuation of an argument or idea.

In addition to that

This alternative is more verbose and explicitly states the additive nature.

Other than that

Similar to "apart from that", it specifies an exception or exclusion.

Apart from that

This phrase introduces an exception or exclusion before adding more information.

On top of that

This is a more informal way to express "in addition to that".

Aside from this

Similar to "apart from that", indicating an exception.

Beyond that

This suggests something more or further than what has already been mentioned.

Also

A simple and direct synonym for indicating inclusion.

FAQs

How can I use "besides" in a sentence?

"Besides" can be used to introduce an additional point or reason. For example: "I don't want to go, "besides", I'm too tired."

What's a formal alternative to "besides"?

More formal alternatives include "moreover" or "furthermore". For example: "The evidence is compelling; "moreover", there are eyewitness accounts."

Is there a difference between "besides" and "except for"?

Yes, "besides" means in addition to, while "except for" indicates exclusion. For instance, "Everyone went to the party "besides" me" means everyone including me went. "Everyone went to the party "except for" me" means I didn't go.

What can I say instead of "besides" to indicate an exception?

To indicate an exception, you can use phrases like "apart from", "aside from", or "other than". For example, "Other than that, the movie was great."