aside

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "aside" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a comment or piece of information which is separate from the main narrative, or is not considered as important as other details. For example, "Aside from the main improvements, there were also several smaller changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Set aside.

The New York Times - Health

Property aside, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Remove from the pan and set aside.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The firm attempted to maintain its profitability by marginally reducing the proportion of revenue set aside to pay staff to 36.8% from 36.9%.

The Guardian - Business

And as for caring about the decency (BNP supporters aside) and potential of individual voters, or genuinely acting to preserve and encourage their humanity.

The Guardian

The president absolutely... believes that we all need to set aside other objectives and focus on the objective of helping the American people.

The Guardian

As business is business, all the sentimental part had to be taken aside.

The Guardian

Aside from terrifying little Isla, the other children seemed content enough.

The Guardian - Opinion

Aside from the itchy polyester outfit, I have to admit I rather enjoyed the experience.

The Guardian - Opinion

Aside from representations of newsprint in still life scenes, there are scores of examples of people shown reading papers in paintings.

The Guardian

"As the Treasurer stated, we have set aside additional money in the budget and we will have more to say in the near future," the minister assisting the prime minister for women, Michaelia Cash, said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "aside" to introduce a brief digression or additional information that is related but not essential to the main point.

Common error

Avoid using "aside" to connect main clauses or arguments; it's best used for supplementary or parenthetical remarks. If you want to establish a causation, use "because" or "due to" instead.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "aside" primarily functions as an adjunct, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a secondary or digressive element. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is frequently employed to introduce supplementary information or exceptions, as demonstrated in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Lifestyle

20%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Film

3%

Arts

3%

Money

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "aside" is a versatile adverb used to introduce supplementary information, exceptions, or qualifications. As Ludwig AI clarifies, it can function as an adverb meaning "to one side" or a preposition meaning "apart from". It's very common in news, lifestyle and opinion contexts. While generally neutral, the formality of "aside" can vary. When writing, be sure to use "aside" for digressions rather than as a primary connector. Remember that it's different from similar terms like "besides" and "apart". With all of this in mind, using the term "aside" is easy if you just remember what you have learned.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

apart from

Indicates an exception or exclusion, similar to "aside from".

leaving out

Focuses on the act of omitting something, akin to setting something "aside".

excluding

Emphasizes the act of not including something.

not considering

Highlights the act of disregarding something for the moment.

irrespective of

Indicates that something is not affected by something else, similar to setting it "aside".

disregarding

Highlights the act of ignoring something.

on the sidelines

Implies something is not actively involved.

in parenthesis

Referring to a comment or information that is off topic, just like when said "aside".

by the way

Introduce an extra information which is off topic.

in passing

Refers to a quick comment.

FAQs

How to use "aside" in a sentence?

The word "aside" can be used as an adverb to mean "to one side" or "out of the way", or as a preposition to mean "apart from" or "except for". For example, "Move aside, please" or "Aside from the cost, it's a great product".

What can I say instead of "aside from"?

You can use alternatives like "apart from", "excluding", or "except for" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "aside from" or "besides"?

"Aside from" and "besides" are often interchangeable, but "aside from" usually implies an exception, while "besides" means in addition to.

What's the difference between "aside" and "apart"?

"Aside" often indicates a temporary or spatial displacement (e.g., "set aside"), while "apart" implies a separation or distinction (e.g., "far apart").