Sided means having a particular number of surfaces or faces. A triangle is three-sided, a square is four-sided, and a stop sign is eight-sided. When you describe a shape by how many sides it has, you're counting the straight edges that form its boundary.

The word also describes taking someone's position in a disagreement or conflict. When two friends argue about which game to play at recess and you side with one of them, you've sided with that person. You support their view and stand on their team in the dispute.

You might hear people describe an argument as one-sided when only one person's perspective gets heard or considered, or when a competition is so uneven it hardly seems fair. A many-sided problem has multiple aspects or angles to consider. When neighbors can't agree about a property line, it becomes a two-sided dispute where each person has their own view of what's right.

Be careful not to confuse sided with side. While side refers to a surface or position itself, sided describes having a certain number of sides or choosing a side in a disagreement.