Beside or Besides?

search our site by Craig Shrives

The difference between "Beside" and "Besides"

"Beside" and "besides" are easy to confuse because they sound so similar.

"Beside" means "next to."

For example:

• Sit beside me.

"Besides" means "apart from" or "in addition to."

For example:

• It includes everyone besides me.
(Here, "besides" means "apart from.")
• Besides me, who else hates celery?
(In this example, "besides" best translates as "in addition to.")

Beside or Besides the Point?

Technically, the terms "beside the point" and "besides the point" both make sense, but the idiom is "beside the point."

"Beside the Point"

The term "beside the point" means "next to the point" or "off target." It is a common idiom in English. For example:

• Martin Luther King Jr. could have argued that separate water fountains were too expensive, but cost was beside the point. (Author Michelle Alexander)

"Besides the Point"

The term "besides the point" is logically sound. It can mean "in addition to the point" or "aside from the point," the latter of which is good fit for the idiomatic meaning. Nevertheless, the idiom is "beside the point."

• I'm going to keep making films I believe in. Whether I am successful or not is besides the point. (Actor Ajay Devgan)

More about "Beside" and "Besides"

Beside

The word "beside" is a preposition. It means "close to" or "next to."

Example sentences with "beside":

• Park your car beside mine.
• Your hat is beside the dog basket.

Besides

The preposition "besides" means "in addition to" or "apart from." As an adverb, it means "furthermore" or "and another thing."

Example sentences with "besides":

• Besides Craig, who else caught a bass?
("Besides" is a preposition in this example. It means "apart from.")
• Besides, it's not just about determination.
("Besides" is an adverb in this example. It means "furthermore.")

Ready for the Test?