among
Americanpreposition
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in, into, or through the midst of; in association or connection with; surrounded by.
He was among friends.
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in the midst of, so as to influence.
missionary work among the local people.
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with a share for each of.
Divide the cigars among you.
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in the number, class, or group of; of or out of.
That is among the things we must do.
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by all or with the whole of; by most or with many of.
popular among the people.
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by the joint or reciprocal action of.
Settle it among yourselves.
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each with the other; mutually.
They quarreled among themselves.
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familiar to or characteristic of.
a proverb among the Spanish.
preposition
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in the midst of
he lived among the Indians
-
to each of
divide the reward among yourselves
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in the group, class, or number of
ranked among the greatest writers
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taken out of (a group)
he is only one among many
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with one another within a group; by the joint action of
a lot of gossip among the women employees
decide it among yourselves
Commonly Confused
See between.
Etymology
Origin of among
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English amang, onmang for on gemang, on gemonge (dative singular of gemong “crowd,” akin to mengan “to mix”) “in (the) group (of)”; akin to mingle
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.
Quasars are among the brightest objects in the cosmos.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2026
Still, advisers say philanthropy is a common aspiration among this new wave of clients.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
Armitage’s appearance sparked a wave of excitement among the crowd, with students cheering and lining up for selfies with the young actor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2026
Friday's disruption was only the second time such a ground stoppage had been issued in US airspace -- which is among the busiest in the world -- since the 9/11 attacks.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
The Kane family of Philadelphia was among many who lost large sums due to ill-advised investments.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
