amid

¹

[uh-mid]

preposition

1. in the middle of; surrounded by; among.

   to stand weeping amid the ruins.

2. during; in or throughout the course of.

amid-

²

1. variant of amido- before a vowel.

   amidase.

amid

/ əˈmɪd /

preposition

1. in the middle of; among

Word History and Origins

Origin of amid¹

before 1000; Middle English amidde, Old English amiddan, for on middan “in (the) middle.” See a- ¹, mid ¹

Origin of amid²

First recorded in 1870–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of amid¹

Old English on middan in the middle; see _mid ¹

Example Sentences

The plan, which has added hundreds of thousands of policyholders in recent years as insurers have pulled back from the market amid rising wildfires, has estimated losses of $4 billion from the January blazes.

From Los Angeles Times

As the guild gears up for contract negotiations next year, Mulroney said she plans to build on earlier gains in AI and other areas, and aims to convince the studios to pay more for WGA’s health plans amid rising healthcare costs.

From Los Angeles Times

Amid the film’s self-conscious depiction of a brewing tempest, he remains a true force of nature.

From Los Angeles Times

Large crowds took to the streets of multiple cities amid a growing wave of protest across Europe at Israel's bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

From BBC

It comes amid growing pressure from Reform UK, which has already pledged to leave the ECHR.

From BBC

When To Use

What’s the difference between amid and amidst?

Amid and amidst mean the same thing: in the middle of or during.This can apply to spaces (as in I found my keys amid/amidst all of my other stuff) or situations (as in It was hard to concentrate amid/amidst 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 amid and amidst are completely interchangeable, amid is more commonly used.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between amid and amidst, including how amidst got that -st.