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
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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.
And while many will splurge on travel, there are also plenty of bargain hunters among their ranks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Elsewhere, the paper reports on "Iconic Diana dresses revealed among palace archives", embedding a photo of the late Princess of Wales.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
We’re choosing among more ways to do it than previous generations had available.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Teenager Carys Edwards, 18, was among those to turn out with her mum, calling the Welsh legend "an inspiration to everybody".
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Even if there were a doctor among the land rushers, they’d be journeying on.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
