side by side

adverb

1
: beside one another
walking side by side
2
: in the same place, time, or circumstance
lived peacefully side by side for many years
side-by-side
ˈsīd-ˌbī-ˈsīd How to pronounce side by side (audio)
adjective

Examples of side by side in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But when hundreds or thousands of sailors have a chance to enjoy some onshore liberty, the navy deploys members of its Shore Patrol to work side by side with Thai police to defuse any trouble. — Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Editors sampled the cheeses side by side, scoring them on taste, texture, and overall experience using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. — Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026 Combine ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and More Using ChatPlayground A single prompt runs across all connected models at once, so results appear side by side instead of forcing a switch between tabs. — New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026 Also, if the switch from side by side to one-front/one-back happened instantaneously, your brain would get confused about how to interpret the images delivered from each eye, since the setup would be quite different from what you were used to. — Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for side by side

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of side by side was in the 13th century

Rhymes for side by side

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Browse Nearby Words

sideburns
side by side
sidecar
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Cite this Entry

“Side by side.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/side%20by%20side. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

side by side

adverb
: beside one another
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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