1
: to or toward the side
stepped aside
2
: away from others or into privacy
pulled him aside
3
: out of the way especially for future use : away
putting aside savings
4
: away from one's thought or consideration
All kidding aside, we really need to get busy.
1
: an utterance not meant to be heard by someone
especially
: an actor's speech heard by the audience but supposedly not by other characters
2
: a comment or discussion that does not relate directly to the main subject being discussed : digression
He frequently interrupted his narrative with amusing asides.
Examples of aside in a Sentence
Adverb
He stepped aside and let her pass.
He threw his coat aside.
She laid the book aside.
He elbowed people aside as he moved through the crowd.
He took her aside to speak to her privately.
Someone grabbed him and pulled him aside.
Noun
She made a joke about the food in a muttered aside to her husband.
The book includes several lengthy asides about the personal lives of scientists involved in the project.
In his speech he mentioned her contributions almost as an aside, despite the fact that she was the one who came up with the idea originally.
Recent Examples on the Web
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Thomas Jefferson, for example, declined to use money set aside for gunboats in the early 1800s.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2025
Pierre Lebrun, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
For me, the film provided a welcome excuse to read up on Dylan, who has always been a reputable source of enjoyably gnomic quotes, self-mythologizing, and enigmatic asides.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2025
Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The conservative nonprofit group Building America’s Future set aside millions for ads criticizing the ban, which primarily targeted Black voters in swing states.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for aside 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
Because valuable parking lot real estate has been set aside for a cart corral, go ahead and use it.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Thomas Jefferson, for example, declined to use money set aside for gunboats in the early 1800s.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
As an aside, Guentzel’s agent is Ben Hankinson, who works for the same firm, Octagon, as Rantanen’s agent, Scott.
—Pierre Lebrun, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
For me, the film provided a welcome excuse to read up on Dylan, who has always been a reputable source of enjoyably gnomic quotes, self-mythologizing, and enigmatic asides.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2025
Preposition
The bill, known as House Bill 2103, seeks to set aside the funds to support litigation in the event that negotiations among the seven states dependent on the river break down.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The conservative nonprofit group Building America’s Future set aside millions for ads criticizing the ban, which primarily targeted Black voters in swing states.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for aside
Dictionary Entries Near aside
Cite this Entry
“Aside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aside. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aside
2 of 2 noun
: words meant not to be heard by someone
especially
: an actor's words supposedly not heard by others on the stage
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