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

Tammy Faye Messner, the mascara-laden former wife of televangelist Jim Bakker, the charismatic TV preacher with the choir-boy face with whom she appeared on their popular Christian talk-variety show until his downfall amid scandal in the late 1980s, has died.

From Los Angeles Times

But questions remain about how the Lebanese troops would operate against Hezbollah, which is heavily armed and backed by Iran, amid fears this could exacerbate sectarian tensions.

From BBC

Amos Hochstein, who has led the Biden administration’s efforts to end more than one year of conflict, was expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday amid cautious optimism in Lebanon.

From BBC

Amid the negotiations, Israel has stepped up its air campaign across Lebanon but, after three consecutive days of strikes on Beirut, there were no attacks on the capital during Hochstein’s visit.

From BBC

Payne’s collaborator, music producer Sam Pounds, also walked back the release of the singer’s posthumous single “Do No Wrong” amid fan outcry.

From Los Angeles Times

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.