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; see amid, -s 1; for -t see 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.
Spider-Man finds time to haunt MJ’s Instagram stories amidst all manner of chaos breaking out in the streets of New York and beyond?
From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026
Burnham has also pledged to make life more affordable amidst the UK's cost-of-living crisis, including by building more social housing, reducing homelessness, and easing financial pressures on small businesses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
He might be the most interesting man amidst a mass of most interesting men at the World Cup, and he has Bosnia back on two feet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
“I continue to be amazed by what this extraordinary group of people are achieving every day even amidst all the forces acting against us. And Elon is one of the best humans I know.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
They might have easily been lost amidst the Land of Always Winter, a thousand leagues beyond the Wall.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
