midst

¹ American  

[midst] / mɪdst /

noun

1. the position of anything surrounded by other things or parts, or occurring in the middle of a period of time, course of action, etc..

   a familiar face in the midst of the crowd;

   in the midst of the performance.

   Synonyms:

   heart, core, thick

   Antonyms:

   periphery, edge

2. the middle point, part, or stage.

   We arrived in the midst of a storm.

   Synonyms:

   heart, core, thick

   Antonyms:

   periphery, edge

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idioms

1. in our / your / their midst, in the midst of or among us (you, them).

   To think there was a spy in our midst!

midst ² American  

[midst] / mɪdst /

preposition

1. amidst.

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midst ¹ British  

/ mɪdst /

noun

1. surrounded or enveloped by; at a point during, esp a climactic one

2. among us

3. archaic the centre

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midst ² British  

/ mɪdst /

preposition

1. poetic See amid

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Related Words

See middle.

Etymology

Origin of midst

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, equivalent to middes (aphetic variant of amiddes “in the middle”) + excrescent -t; amidst

Example Sentences

Russia is in the midst of a demographic crisis, with fertility rates at 1.4 children per woman, far below the 2.1 threshold that demographers say is needed to keep the population at its current level.

From Barron's

That is not a small ask for a club in the midst of a relegation battle.

From BBC

So does this mean Arsenal are in the midst of an injury crisis or are they being clever by showing caution with the fitness of their players?

From BBC

Between her work with the dog rescue she volunteers with, her charity work for the MS Foundation, and her position on student council, she’s always in the midst of planning something.

From Literature

In the midst of such natural splendor, he felt a renewed shame in his own ugliness.

From Literature