What does "by" mean?
Alternative form of bye.
By
/baɪ/ adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep
adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of bye.
- Grammar: by is listed as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep.
- Nearest alternatives: abeam, abreast, abroach, accommodated to.
- Useful contrasts: main, principal, active voice.
- Usage evidence: You're by my side; everything's fine now.
How to use "by"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "by" 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 "by" 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 "by" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "by" 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 "by" is acting as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep 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 "abeam" 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 "by", 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 Alternative form of bye. alt-of, alternative
- 2 Abbreviation of attribution. abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Out of the way, off to one side. not-comparable
"a by path; a by room"
- 2 Subsidiary, incidental. not-comparable
"by catch; a by issue"
Adverb
- 1 Along a path which runs past someone or something. not-comparable
"I watched the parade as it passed by."
- 2 In the vicinity, near. not-comparable
"There was a shepherd close by."
- 3 To or at a place, as a residence or place of business. not-comparable
"I'll stop by on my way home from work."
- 4 Aside, away. not-comparable
"The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring."
- 5 Beyond or past a certain point. not-comparable
"I'll somehow manage to get by."
Adverb
- 1 in reserve; not for immediate use wordnet
- 2 so as to pass a given point wordnet
Preposition
- 1 Near or next to.
"The mailbox is by the bus stop."
- 2 From one side of something to the other, passing close by; past.
"The stream runs by our back door."
- 3 Not later than (the given time); not later than the end of (the given time interval).
"Be back by ten o'clock!."
- 4 Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.; Following a passive verb.
"The matter was decided by the chairman."
- 5 Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.; Following a noun.
"There was a call by the unions for a 30% pay rise."
Show 16 more definitions
- 6 Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.; Following an adjective.
"I was aghast by what I saw."
- 7 Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of.
"There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare"
- 8 Indicates a means of achieving something: Involving/using the means of.
"I'd know you anywhere by your gravelly voice."
- 9 Indicates an authority according to which something is done.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife."
- 10 Indicates an authority according to which something is done.; Invokes an authority in an oath.
"By Jove! I think she's got it!"
- 11 Indicates a means of classification or organisation.
"I sorted the items by category."
- 12 Indicates the amount of change, difference or discrepancy
"Our stock is up by ten percent."
- 13 In the formulae X by X and by Xs, indicates a steady progression, one X after another.
"We went through the book page by page."
- 14 Acted on in units of the specified size or measure. (Sometimes hyperbolically)
"sold by the yard; cheaper if bought by the gross"
- 15 Per; with or in proportion to each.
"His health was deteriorating by the day."
- 16 Indicates a referenced source: According to.
"He cheated by his own admission."
- 17 Used to separate dimensions when describing the size of something.
"It is easy to invert a 2-by-2 matrix."
- 18 multiplied by or (chiefly South Asia) divided by
- 19 Designates a horse's sire (“male parent”).
"She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress."
- 20 At, with, among
"Are you eating by Rabbi Fischer? (at the house of)"
- 21 in a windward direction, sailing near to the direction from which the wind is blowing
Intj
- 1 Dated form of bye (“goodbye”). alt-of, dated
Proper Noun
- 1 The station code of Byculla railway station in India.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You're by my side; everything's fine now."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "by"?
Common synonyms include: abeam, abreast, abroach, accommodated to, according to, adapted.
How do you use "by" in a sentence?
You're by my side; everything's fine now.
How do you pronounce "by"?
Pronounced /baɪ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English by, bi, from Old English bī (“by; near; around”), from Proto-West Germanic *bī, from Proto-Germanic *bi (“near; by; around; about”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi. Cognate with West Frisian by (“by; near”), Afrikaans by (“at; by; near”), Saterland Frisian bie (“near; by”), Dutch bij (“near; by”), German Low German bi (“by; near; at”), German bei (“by; near; at”).
Etymology 2
From the preposition by.