beside

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "beside" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a position next to or adjacent to something or someone. Example: "She sat beside her friend during the movie."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"There was a group of us who had dinner together on a Tuesday night [at parliament] … I was sitting beside Mr Obeid at the time and was told 'Keep away from Ms Schott – they're coming after her,' " Costa said.

The Guardian

I was just beside the camera, yet it's not in the film".

The Guardian - Arts

He was probably relaxing in some luxurious dwelling beside a cosy open fire, wondering how he could further enrage Isis, while we all stood in the widdling rain.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A three-year-old who doesn't need a nap one day may be beside him or herself without one the next.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The short work for mezzo soprano and chamber orchestra will be performed in the Olympic stadium-sized equestrian centre beside the derelict Necarne castle, a space she described as "amazing – and with a perfect acoustic".

The Guardian

With feelings running high, the sight of a Network Rail hi-vis jacket beside a level crossing attracts the attention of a man who comes striding across a Suffolk beet field, brandishing an alarmingly large pair of secateurs.

The Guardian

As the van slows down beside a crowd of people, I glimpse a bloodied body in the dusty street.

The Guardian - Travel

I sat beside the spa pool afterwards, looking up at the multicoloured hanging flowers and thinking that the only thing that could make things any better would be if someone brought me a pot of mint tea… when someone brought me a pot of mint tea.

The Guardian - Travel

I've had my jog, put the bins out, made dinner for the kids (a quite delightful mushroom risotto), and now I've got a glass of red beside me and I'm ready to go.

The Guardian - Sport

In market stalls beside them, women huddle together whispering to each other and knitting alpaca woollen hats and socks to sell to tourists.

The Guardian - Travel

Although, in some ways, victory was beside the point – for many of the nearly 600 cubers in attendance, a record, the World Championship was more about hanging out with other cubers, some of whom they had never met offline.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "beside" to indicate location, ensure it clearly specifies physical proximity. For example, "The lamp is beside the bed" leaves no ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "beside" when you mean "besides". "Beside" refers to physical proximity, while "besides" means 'in addition to'. Using the wrong one can change the meaning of your sentence.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "beside" is to act as a preposition, indicating the position of something or someone in relation to another. As seen in Ludwig, it specifies physical proximity (e.g., "sitting beside Mr Obeid") or, less commonly, irrelevance (e.g., "beside the point").

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Travel

11%

Sport

6%

Less common in

Lifestyle

4%

Arts

3%

Opinion

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the preposition "beside" primarily denotes physical proximity or adjacency. While it can also indicate irrelevance or "in addition to", the latter is less common than using "besides". Ludwig AI confirms that "beside" is grammatically correct and widely used, especially in News & Media sources. To avoid confusion, be mindful of the subtle distinction between "beside" and "besides", and ensure the context clearly supports your intended meaning. Using alternatives like "next to" or "alongside" for physical proximity, and "irrelevant to" for irrelevance, can enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

next to

Indicates physical proximity; directly adjacent.

alongside

Suggests being side by side, often implying movement or parallel action.

adjacent to

Formal way of expressing nearness or contiguity.

near to

Indicates close physical proximity, but less direct than "next to".

close to

General expression of nearness, either physical or metaphorical.

apart from

Denotes exclusion or irrelevance, similar to one meaning of "beside".

irrelevant to

Specifies that something is not pertinent or applicable.

in addition to

Highlights an additive relationship.

as well as

Connects two things being considered together or added.

other than

Indicates exclusion or difference from what is being discussed.

FAQs

How do I use "beside" in a sentence?

"Beside" can indicate physical proximity, as in "The chair is beside the table", or irrelevance, as in "That's "beside the point"". It can also mean "in addition to", though "besides" is more common in this context.

What can I say instead of "beside" when indicating physical proximity?

Alternatives include "next to", "alongside", or "adjacent to", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "beside" and "besides"?

"Beside" is a preposition indicating physical proximity or being next to something. "Besides" is an adverb or preposition meaning in addition to or apart from.

When is it appropriate to use "beside" to mean "in addition to"?

While "beside" can technically mean "in addition to", it's less common than using "besides" in this sense. In most cases, using "besides" will be clearer and more widely understood.