What does "aside" mean?
An incidental remark to a person next to one made discreetly but not in private, audible only to that person.
Aside
/əˈsaɪd/ adj, adv, noun
adj, adv, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An incidental remark to a person next to one made discreetly but not in private, audible only to that person.
- Grammar: aside is listed as adj, adv, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: digression, a huis clos, all, allocation.
- Useful contrasts: long thrust, centerward, course subject.
- Usage evidence: Aside from his salary, he receives money from investments.
How to use "aside"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "aside" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "aside" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "aside" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "aside" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "aside" is acting as adj, adv, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "digression" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "aside", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An incidental remark to a person next to one made discreetly but not in private, audible only to that person.
- 2 a message that departs from the main subject wordnet
- 3 An incidental remark to a person next to one made discreetly but not in private, audible only to that person. (theater) A brief comment by a character addressing the audience, unheard by other characters.; A brief comment by a character addressing the audience, unheard by other characters.
- 4 a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage wordnet
- 5 A minor related mention, an afterthought.
"This, then, is what we have done up to now in this book. (As I have been doing right along) may I make an aside? (An aside is a part in an old-time play or movie in which an actor steps out of character to say something to the audience of a semi-private or semi-confidential nature about the play.) I am confounded, and somewhat appalled when I read over the scholarly works referred to"
Adjective
- 1 Not in perfect symmetry; distorted laterally, especially of the human body.
"Her figure was slight; but the cruel accident—a fall in her childhood, which had laid the foundation of her ill health—had made her a little aside, and caused a degree of lameness, which rendered it difficult for her to move without assistance."
Adverb
- 1 To or on one side so as to be out of the way. not-comparable
"Move aside, please, so that these people can come through."
- 2 Excluded from consideration. not-comparable
"joking aside"
Adverb
- 1 not taken into account or excluded from consideration wordnet
- 2 in reserve; not for immediate use wordnet
- 3 on or to one side wordnet
- 4 out of the way (especially away from one's thoughts) wordnet
- 5 placed or kept separate and distinct as for a purpose wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 in a different direction wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Aside from his salary, he receives money from investments."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "aside"?
Common synonyms include: digression, a huis clos, all, allocation, annotation, apart.
How do you use "aside" in a sentence?
Aside from his salary, he receives money from investments.
How do you pronounce "aside"?
Pronounced /əˈsaɪd/.
Etymology
From Middle English aside, asyde, a-side, oside, from Middle English on side, from Old English on sīdan (literally “on (the) side (of)”), equivalent to a- + side. Compare beside.