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Synonyms

amid

1 American  
[uh-mid] / əˈmɪd /

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 American  

  1. variant of amido- before a vowel.

    amidase.
amid British  
/ əˈmɪd /

preposition

  1. in the middle of; among

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The government has previously said it cancelled the consignment amid concerns over its quality and cost and barred oil marketers from selling it.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Over that period, investors diversified into bond and international stock exchange-traded funds amid an uptick in inflation expectations, skepticism over companies’ spending on artificial-intelligence buildouts, and heightened geopolitical concerns.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

LVMH’s overall revenue fell 1% in the first months, and Kering reported no first-quarter revenue growth amid tensions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Lawmakers in more than 10 states have proposed temporary bans on data-center construction this year amid rising public concerns, reflected in opinion polls, over energy prices, noise pollution and other issues.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

He thought of his grandfather, amid a crowd of seagulls; of his father, sitting next to his bed at night; of the half-remembered face of his mother.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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.