amid
preposition
in the middle of; surrounded by; among.
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amid
1 American
[uh-mid]
/ əˈmɪd /
preposition
-
in the middle of; surrounded by; among.
to stand weeping amid the ruins.
-
during; in or throughout the course of.
amid-
2
American
amid
British
/ əˈmɪd /
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.
Microsoft recently cancelled a deal with a British neocloud outfit called Nscale amid power supply issues which could last through to 2030.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Berlin is in contact with officials in France and Italy amid fears that radicals from overseas could seek to join the German protests.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
Villanueva initiated a criminal investigation of a Los Angeles Times reporter before walking it back amid widespread condemnation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
“These patterns have more-or-less repeated themselves throughout much of the year, and we can expect this to continue amid geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices,” IATA’s Marie Owens Thomsen says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
He had been buried without funeral or rite in the Cook County Cemetery at Dunning, amid the mad and the unknown dead.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
