51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

amid

1

[ uh-mid ]

preposition

  1. in the middle of; surrounded by; among:

    to stand weeping amid the ruins.

  2. during; in or throughout the course of.


amid-

2
  1. variant of amido- before a vowel:

    amidase.

amid

/ əˈ³¾Éª»å /

preposition

  1. in the middle of; among
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of amid1

before 1000; Middle English amidde, Old English amiddan, for on middan “in (the) middle.†See a- 1, mid 1

Origin of amid2

First recorded in 1870–75
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of amid1

Old English on middan in the middle; see mid 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Birmingham City Council declared a major incident last week amid industrial action by Unite union members over pay, which has led to uncollected rubbish bags being stacked up on the city's streets.

From

This evenly delivered sobriety amid massive uncertainty is its own kind of narcotic, much in the same way that the trippy sequences in “Common Side Effects†wouldn’t be out of place on a hash bar’s video screen.

From

This evenly delivered sobriety amid massive uncertainty is its own kind of narcotic.

From

Last year, amid speculation to the contrary, he told The Times that he would “absolutely†run for reelection.

From

Amid a handsomely shot New York of towering skylines, busy thoroughfares and cramped apartments, “The Friend†strips the pet-movie genre from the easy appeal of mawkishness, bringing it closer to what an ongoing dialogue between lonely species stumbling into connection actually feels like.

From

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Amid Vs. Amidst

What’s the difference between amid and amidst?

Amid and amidst mean the same thing: in the middle of or during.

This can apply to spaces (as in I found my keys amid/amidst all of my other stuff) or situations (as in It was hard to concentrate amid/amidst 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 amid and amidst are completely interchangeable, amid is more commonly used.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between amid and amidst, including how amidst got that -st.

Quiz yourself on amid vs. amidst!

True or False? 

Amidst should only be used in very formal contexts.

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