amid
1 Americanpreposition
-
in the middle of; surrounded by; among.
to stand weeping amid the ruins.
-
during; in or throughout the course of.
preposition
Usage
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.
Etymology
Origin of amid1
before 1000; Middle English amidde, Old English amiddan, for on middan “in (the) middle.” See a- 1, mid 1
Origin of amid-2
First recorded in 1870–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In China, sales tumbled by 29.8% amid continued struggles in the Chinese market.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Consumer sentiment has fallen to its lowest point since November 2023, indicating a ‘flight to pessimism’ amid rising energy costs.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
The U.S. trade deficit increased in February, continuing a bumpy stretch for international flows of goods amid fast-changing U.S. policy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
After Congress passed a law forcing their release, Bondi presided over that release — amid criticisms she was slow-walking it, withholding certain records and overly redacting others.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
But amid the smoke still rising from its blackened edges hundreds of spiders were crawling.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
