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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.

England's Brendon McCullum held a call with county cricket head coaches and directors on Wednesday amid unrest between the domestic and international game.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Iridium Communications stock rose 12% and Viasat gained 14% in afternoon trading amid renewed investor interest in satellite companies.

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

Behind him he could hear the gatehouse bolts being withdrawn amid the shouts of angry mice.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

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.