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

/ əˈmɪd /

preposition

1. in the middle of; among

Word 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of amid¹

Old English on middan in the middle; see _mid ¹

Example Sentences

Roman struggles to get out his sentences amid painful cries of despair, the unfiltered grief pouring out of him.

From Los Angeles Times

It comes amid increased scrutiny by regulators worldwide over the tech giant's empire in online search and advertising.

From BBC

Earlier this week, the Commission denied reports it had delayed the announcement of Google's fine amid tensions over trade relations between the EU and the US.

From BBC

The vote came amid a wider debate over the Democratic Party’s approach to Israel, and whether recent actions represent a genuine shift in policy thinking, as opposed to a temporary, tactical adjustment to current circumstances.

From Salon

There are a few discrete factors that may be shaping some of these changes, and these recent expressions of support for limiting arms to Israel emerged amid temporary conditions that could be influencing elected officials’ positions as much as ideology or core belief.

From Salon

When To Use

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.