amidst

[uh-midst]

preposition

1. amid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of amidst¹

1250–1300; Middle English amiddes; amid, -s ¹; for -t against, amongst, etc.

Example Sentences

Amidst these headlines are people just like Molina and Arregui — activists, artists and human beings — finding their own ways to survive and resist an increasingly paranoid and repressive government.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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These cracks in credit come amidst the robust overall U.S. economy.

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They have continued to host virtual courses amidst COVID-19.

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Instead of going out, he’s armed the tour bus with a recording studio to document this new phase of life amidst the rigors of fast stardom.

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When To Use

What’s the difference between amidst and amid?

Amidst and amid mean the same thing: in the middle of or during.This can apply to spaces (as in I found my keys amidst/amid all of my other stuff) or situations (as in It was hard to concentrate amidst/amid all the chaos).Amid is the older and original form of the word. The -st ending (which is the same one found in other words like whilst and against) does not change the meaning.  The same thing applies to among and amongst (which can mean the same thing as amid and amidst).Contrary to popular misconceptions, amidst is not the British English version of amid. Although amidst and amid are completely interchangeable, amid is more commonly used.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between amidst and amid, including how amidst got that -st.