among

American  

[uh-muhng] / əˈmʌŋ /

preposition

1. in, into, or through the midst of; in association or connection with; surrounded by.

   He was among friends.

2. in the midst of, so as to influence.

   missionary work among the local people.

3. with a share for each of.

   Divide the cigars among you.

4. in the number, class, or group of; of or out of.

   That is among the things we must do.

5. by all or with the whole of; by most or with many of.

   popular among the people.

6. by the joint or reciprocal action of.

   Settle it among yourselves.

7. each with the other; mutually.

   They quarreled among themselves.

8. familiar to or characteristic of.

   a proverb among the Spanish.

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among British  

/ əˈmʌŋ /

preposition

1. in the midst of

   he lived among the Indians

2. to each of

   divide the reward among yourselves

3. in the group, class, or number of

   ranked among the greatest writers

4. taken out of (a group)

   he is only one among many

5. with one another within a group; by the joint action of

   a lot of gossip among the women employees

   decide it among yourselves

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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

Douce argued that morale among staff at the parks — a string of 63 federally protected natural wonders often described as “America’s best idea” — has never been lower.

From Los Angeles Times

The National Park Service is routinely ranked among the most admired branches of the large and sprawling federal government.

From Los Angeles Times

Hiding in plain sight that night, among the patrons scattered throughout the museum, was photographer and activist Nan Goldin, along with several members of her advocacy group, P.A.I.N.

From Salon

Honolulu, El Paso and Austin, Texas, were the only cities among the 58 where homicide rates rose for the period.

From The Wall Street Journal

The team located them using a new computational tool called Conservatory, developed through collaboration among the laboratories of Idan Efroni at Hebrew University, Madelaine Bartlett at Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University, and Zachary Lippman at CSHL.

From Science Daily