“beside” vs. “besides”

Use "beside" for physical proximity (next to); use "besides" for "in addition to" or "apart from," introducing extra information or an exception.

The real distinction

"Beside" describes physical location — next to or alongside something — while "besides" means "in addition to" or "apart from," introducing extra information, an additional argument, or an exception, and confusing the two can genuinely change a sentence's meaning in subtle but important ways. Compare: "beside the fireplace, there was a stack of firewood" (physically located next to the fireplace) versus "besides the fireplace, there was also a wood stove for heating" (in addition to the fireplace, describing another separate item). A reliable check: if the sentence describes physical proximity — literally sitting or standing next to something — use "beside" ("she sat beside her sister"); if the sentence introduces an additional point, argument, or exception beyond what's already been mentioned, use "besides" ("besides being expensive, the plan was also impractical"). Because "besides" often begins a sentence to introduce a supporting or additional argument in casual speech ("besides, we don't have time anyway"), while "beside" almost never opens a sentence in that same conversational, argument-introducing way, position within the sentence can also serve as a helpful clue. It's also worth noting that "beside" can occasionally be used figuratively in the fixed idiom "beside the point" (irrelevant) or "beside himself" (extremely upset), both distinct from any sense of physical proximity, while "besides" almost always signals an additional fact or argument being introduced into the discussion.

Examples with “beside”

• She sat beside her best friend throughout the ceremony.
• The dog curled up beside the fireplace all evening.
• He parked his bike beside the entrance to the store.
• There's a small garden beside the old library.
• She placed her bag beside the chair before sitting down.
• The lamp stood beside the antique reading chair.
• He knelt beside the injured hiker until help arrived.
• The cat slept beside the warm radiator all winter.
• They walked beside the river for nearly an hour.
• She stood beside her father during the entire ceremony.
• His complaint about the schedule was beside the point entirely.
• She kept her notes beside her laptop during the entire call.
• He set his coffee beside the keyboard and got to work.

Examples with “besides”

• Besides the cost, there are several logistical concerns.
• She has no other hobbies besides painting and hiking.
• Besides being talented, he's also incredibly hardworking.
• There's nothing to do here besides swim and read.
• Besides the obvious risks, the plan seemed reasonable.
• He has few interests besides music and photography.
• Besides finishing the report, she also updated the budget.
• There's no one else qualified for the job besides her.
• Besides the delay, the trip went smoothly overall.
• He owns little besides a small apartment and an old car.
• Besides the noise, the apartment's location was otherwise perfect.
• Besides the paperwork, the move itself was fairly simple.
• Besides the flight delay, the entire trip went off without a hitch.

Memory trick

Picture "beside" as literally standing next to something, side by side, a purely physical arrangement. "Besides" carries the extra "s," standing for "additional" information being tacked on, much like an afterthought added beside the main point. A final check: "next to" fitting the sentence naturally points to "beside"; "in addition to" or "except for" fitting instead points to "besides."