Besides | Meaning, Definition & Example Sentences
Besides can be used as a preposition meaning “except” or “in addition to.” It can also be used as an adverb meaning “as well” or “moreover.”
Besides being a writer, Sophie is a painter.
Tyra wasn’t free on the night of the party. Besides, she wasn’t even invited.
How to use besides in a sentence
Besides can be used as a preposition meaning “except” or “in addition to.”
Besides the posters, Zayne has designed two flyers for his campaign.
It can also be used as an adverb meaning “as well” or “furthermore.” When it introduces a sentence or independent clause, it’s followed by a comma.
You have to stay home and study. Besides, there’s no room in the car.
Beside or besides
Beside and besides are related words, but they don’t have the same meaning and shouldn’t be used interchangeably.
- Beside (no “s”) is a preposition meaning “next to.” It can also be used to mean “compared with,” though this meaning is less common (e.g., “My handwriting looks awful beside yours”).
- Besides (with an “s”) has various meanings including “except,” “as well as,” and “furthermore.” Unlike “beside,” it doesn’t refer to literal physical proximity.
- The post office is besides the Capitol.
- The post office is beside the Capitol.
- Gina has done nothing today beside traveling.
- Gina has done nothing today besides traveling.
Besides the point or beside the point
Beside the point is an expression used to describe something as “irrelevant” or “unimportant.” While “besides the point” is sometimes used by mistake, it’s incorrect and should be avoided.
- It’s besides the point that the call was important. You shouldn’t have been driving while using your phone.
- It’s beside the point that the call was important. You shouldn’t have been driving while using your phone.
Besides that
Besides that means “other than that” or “in addition to that.” “That” is used in this expression to refer back to a thing you have previously mentioned. If it introduces a sentence or independent clause, it’s followed by a comma.
Lorenza designs and builds furniture. Besides that, she sings in the local choir.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is it “beside” or “besides”?
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Beside and besides are related words, but they don’t have the same meaning.
- Beside is a preposition meaning “next to.” It can also be used to mean “compared with.”
- Besides can be used as a preposition and adverb. It has various meanings including “apart from,” “in addition to,” and “moreover,” but isn’t used for literal physical closeness.
- What is a synonym of “besides”?
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There are different synonyms for the various meanings of besides.
Except In addition to As well Furthermore Apart from As well as Also Additionally But Along with Too Further Other than Together with Moreover - Is “besides” a preposition?
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Yes, besides is a preposition meaning “apart from” (e.g., “Laura doesn’t like hot drinks besides cocoa”). It can also be used to mean “as well as” (e.g., “Besides traveling, Angie enjoys cooking”).
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Ryan, E. (2023, August 23). Besides | Meaning, Definition & Example Sentences. Scribbr. Retrieved October 30, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/definitions/besides/
