language note: The form amongst is also used, but is more literary.
1. preposition
Someone or something that is situated or moving among a group of things or people is surrounded by them.
...youths in their late teens sitting among adults.
They walked among the crowds in Red Square.
...a little house among the trees.
Synonyms: in the midst of, with, together with, in the middle of More Synonyms of among
2. preposition
If you are among people of a particular kind, you are with them and having contact with them.
Things weren't so bad, after all. I was among friends again.
I was brought up among people who read and wrote a lot.
3. preposition
If someone or something is among a group, they are a member of that group and share its characteristics.
A fifteen year old girl was among the injured.
Also among the speakers was the new American ambassador to Moscow.
Synonyms: in the group of, one of, part of, included in More Synonyms of among
4. preposition
If you want to focus on something that is happening within a particular group of people, you can say that it is happening among that group.
Unemployment is quite high, especially among young people.
5. preposition
If something happens among a group of people, it happens within the whole of that group or between the members of that group.
Intense debate continues among the leadership.
I am sick of all the quarrelling among politicians who should be concentrating onvital issues.
6. preposition
If something such as a feeling, opinion, or situation exists among a group of people, most of them have it or experience it.
The biggest fear among parents thinking of using the Internet is that their childrenwill be exposed to pornography.
The resort is popular among ski enthusiasts.
7. preposition
You use among before a noun to mention a group when talking about a smaller group within it.
Among those 18 and over, 510,000 benefit claimants were not unemployed.
Among the varieties available, my preference stays with the old and lovely pink-floweredvariety, 'Apple Blossom'.
8. preposition
If something applies to a particular person or thing amongothers, it also applies to other people or things.
...a news conference attended among others by our foreign affairs correspondent.
If you are unhappy with the present situation you can contact, among others, yourlocal MP.
9. preposition
If something is shared among a number of people, some of it is given to all of them.
Most of the furniture was left to the neighbours or distributed among friends.
She tried to ensure her affection was equally shared among all three children.
Synonyms: between, to More Synonyms of among
10. preposition
If people talk, fight, or agree amongthemselves, they do it together, without involving anyone else.
European farm ministers disagree among themselves.
The directors have been arguing among themselves.
Synonyms: with one another, mutually, by all of, by the whole of More Synonyms of among
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
among in British English
(əˈmʌŋ) or amongst
preposition
1.
in the midst of
they lived among the local community
2.
to each of
divide the reward among yourselves
3.
in the group, class, or number of
ranked among the greatest writers
4.
taken out of (a group)
he is only one among many
5.
with one another within a group; by the joint action of
a lot of gossip among the employees
decide it among yourselves
▶ USAGE See note at between
Word origin
Old English amang, contracted from on gemang in the group of, from on + gemang crowd; see mingle, mongrel
among in American English
(əˈmʌŋ)
preposition
1.
in the company of; surrounded by; included with a group of
you are among friends
2.
from place to place in
he passed among the crowd
3.
in the number or class of
included among his supporters
4.
by or with many of
a book popular among executives
5.
as compared with
one among thousands
6.
with a portion for each of
the estate was divided among the relatives
7.
by the reciprocal action of
don't quarrel among yourselves
8.
a.
by the concerted action of
b.
in the joint possession of
Word origin
ME < OE on gemang, in the company (of) < on, in + gemang, a mingling, crowd < gemengan, mingle
More idioms containing
among
put the cat among the pigeons
Examples of 'among' in a sentence
among
It took her a long time to pick out the mantid from her hiding place among the foliage.
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz MINUTES TO BURN (2001)
In other languages
among
British English: among /əˈmʌŋ/ PREPOSITION
surrounded by Someone or something that is among a group of things or people has them around them.
There were children sitting among adults.
American English: among
Arabic: وَسْط
Brazilian Portuguese: entre
Chinese: 在...之中
Croatian: među
Czech: mezi
Danish: blandt
Dutch: te midden van
European Spanish: entre varios
Finnish: joukossa
French: parmi
German: unter
Greek: ανάμεσα
Italian: tra, fra
Japanese: ･･･の中で
Korean: ... 사이에
Norwegian: blant
Polish: wśród
European Portuguese: entre
Romanian: printre
Russian: посреди
Latin American Spanish: entre
Swedish: bland
Thai: ท่ามกลาง
Turkish: arasında
Ukrainian: поміж
Vietnamese: trong số
British English: among /əˈmʌŋ/ PREPOSITION
between If something happens among a group of people, it happens in that group.
Discuss it among yourselves.
American English: among
Arabic: بَيْـنَ
Brazilian Portuguese: entre
Chinese: 在…范围内
Croatian: među
Czech: v rámciskupiny
Danish: blandt
Dutch: onder
European Spanish: entre
Finnish: keskenään
French: parmi
German: unter
Greek: μεταξύ
Italian: tra, fra
Japanese: ･･･の中で
Korean: ~사이에
Norwegian: blant
Polish: pomiędzy
European Portuguese: entre
Romanian: între
Russian: среди
Latin American Spanish: entre
Swedish: inom
Thai: ท่ามกลาง
Turkish: arasında
Ukrainian: серед
Vietnamese: ở giữa
All related terms of 'among'
fall among
to enter the company of (a group of people), esp by chance
among others
used to indicate that there are several more people like the one or ones mentioned , but that you do not intend to mention them all
among other(s)
You use expressions like among other things or among others to indicate that there are several more facts , things, or people like the one or ones mentioned , but that you do not intend to mention them all.
put the cat among the pigeons
to cause trouble or upset
to put the cat among the pigeons set the cat among the pigeons
If you put the cat among the pigeons or set the cat among the pigeons , you cause fierce argument or discussion by doing or saying something.
1 (preposition)
Definition
in the midst of
They walked among the crowds in the large town square.
Synonyms
in the midst of
with
together with
in the middle of
amid
surrounded by
amidst
in the thick of
2 (preposition)
Definition
in the group, class, or number of
Among the speakers was the new Indian ambassador.
Synonyms
in the group of
one of
part of
included in
in the company of
in the class of
in the number of
3 (preposition)
Definition
to each of
Most of the furniture was distributed among friends.
Synonyms
between
to
4 (preposition)
Definition
with one another within a group
The directors have been arguing amongst themselves.