amid

USAGE SUMMARY

'amid' is a word in standard English.
It is most commonly used as a preposition meaning "surrounded by, in the middle of, among," as in: "The onlookers stood amid the clamor of the crowd."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The government should not tell women what to wear, the home secretary has said, amid ongoing debate over the use of full-face veils.

The Guardian

Clinton said on Tuesday she supported the swift release of her emails amid reports that the State Department would not publicly release them all until January 2016.

The Guardian

The former defender, who played for Tottenham and Arsenal in the capital, has been courted by the party and recently had lunch with the party chairman, Grant Shapps, amid suggestions he could run for mayor.

The Guardian - Sport

Gazans are materially cut off from the world economy, just as in Cuba: everything patched up and odd flashes of modernity amid an economy trapped in the 1970s – the occasional new car alongside battered Volvos and even more battered donkeys.

The Guardian - Opinion

Amid criticisms that £10m to £20m was relatively small figure on which to make such a major policy announcement – the NHS budget is more than £100bn a year – the health secretary disputed the No 10 claim.

The Guardian

The sister of Troy Davis, the man whose execution a year ago amid substantial evidence that he was innocent sparked protests across the US and the world, has vowed to keep on fighting until the death penalty is ended "one state at a time".

The Guardian

It shows the Moyes banner – "The Chosen One" – amid a stormy sky and a Scottish voice sounding close to disgusted.

The Guardian - Sport

The report represents the most significant political pressure yet to bring mindfulness into the mainstream and comes amid a boom in public interest in the practice, rooted in a 2,400-year-old 2,400-year-old 2,400-year-old

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Amid a steadily improving economy that has seen the highest pace of job creation in years, Republican attacks on Obama's handling of the country's finances were rarer than during the 2012 election campaign, when the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, styled himself as the candidate to turn around America's economic fate.

The Guardian

Amid a coalition impasse, Downing Street said that the prime minister would make the case to stand by the intelligence agencies.

The Guardian

The modern game's most decorated player Adam Goodes wants to play reserves rather than be an AFL substitute amid fresh calls for the sub to be scrapped.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "amid" to create a sense of immersion or to emphasize that something is happening within a particular atmosphere or context. It adds a layer of descriptive depth to your writing.

Common error

While "amid" and "amidst" are often interchangeable, "amid" is generally preferred in modern usage. Using "amidst" might make your writing sound overly formal or archaic, unless that's the effect you're aiming for.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "amid" is that of a preposition. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it connects a noun or pronoun to the rest of the sentence, indicating location or circumstances. It's often used to describe something happening within a particular environment or situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

84%

Formal & Business

8%

Science

8%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "amid" functions as a preposition that means surrounded by or in the middle of, and it's frequently used to provide context by specifying the surrounding conditions in which an event occurs. As Ludwig AI shows, it’s most common in news and media but can also be found in formal and business writing. While "amidst" is an alternative, "amid" is generally preferred in modern English. Use "amid" to create a sense of immersion and descriptive depth in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

among

This is a close synonym for "amid", often used interchangeably, especially in less formal contexts.

surrounded by

This alternative directly replaces "amid" with a more explicit description of being enclosed or encircled.

in the midst of

This phrase provides a more emphatic way of saying "amid", highlighting a central or intensive involvement.

in the middle of

This alternative offers a simpler and more direct way of conveying the same spatial or contextual relationship.

in the thick of

This phrase emphasizes a sense of intensity or involvement in a situation, often implying difficulty or chaos.

within

This option suggests containment or inclusion within a defined space or set of circumstances.

in the environment of

This phrase offers a more descriptive and formal way of indicating the surrounding conditions or circumstances.

during

This option shifts the focus to a temporal context, indicating that something is happening at the same time as something else.

while

Similar to "during", this alternative introduces a temporal relationship, but it can also imply a sense of contrast or comparison.

set against

This alternative conveys a sense of juxtaposition or contrast, where something is placed in opposition to a background or context.

FAQs

How do I use "amid" in a sentence?

"Amid" is used as a preposition to mean surrounded by or in the middle of. For example, "The city stood strong "amid the ruins"" or "Negotiations continued "amid growing tensions"".

What words are similar to "amid"?

Similar words include "among", "surrounded by", and "in the midst of". These can often be used interchangeably with "amid", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "amidst" instead of "amid"?

Both "amid" and "amidst" are acceptable, but "amid" is more common in contemporary English. "Amidst" is considered slightly more formal or archaic.

What's the difference between "amid" and "between"?

"Amid" implies being surrounded or encompassed by something, while "between" indicates a position in the space separating two distinct things. Using "amid" suggests a more immersive or encompassing environment than using "between".