amidst
Americanpreposition
Usage
What’s the difference between amidst and amid? Amidst and amid mean the same thing: in the middle of or during.This can apply to spaces (as in I found my keys amidst/amid all of my other stuff) or situations (as in It was hard to concentrate amidst/amid 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 amidst and amid are completely interchangeable, amid is more commonly used.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between amidst and amid, including how amidst got that -st.
Etymology
Origin of amidst
1250–1300; Middle English amiddes; amid, -s 1; for -t against, amongst, etc.
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 Nigerian government denies such claims, saying that members of all faiths have suffered amidst myriad conflicts which have engulfed rural parts of the country.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
The fall in exports comes amidst a decline in both manufacturing orders and production as momentum slowed at the start of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
“CRM’s print has the potential to set the tone for enterprise software for the coming months amidst the debates around seat deflation and AI,” Piper Sandler analyst Billy Fitzsimmons wrote on Sunday.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
It says KPop Forever! will "take audiences on a journey that they will never forget with four epic live vocalists, accompanied by four world class dancers amidst a background of eye-popping lighting and effects".
From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026
The Chinese bakery downstairs from our flat displayed my growing collection of trophies in its window, amidst the dust-covered cakes that were never picked up.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
