amid

amid — preposition

1. with people, things, or events all around someone or something, or while that su

1.prepositionC1
Definition

with people, things, or events all around someone or something, or while that surrounding situation is happening.

Example

Firefighters searched the bus amid thick smoke and falling glass.

amid + physical things all around

Mei walked onto the stage amid loud cheers and camera flashes.

amid + surrounding noise and activity

Common collocations
  • amid thick smoke
  • amid loud cheers
  • amid the storm
  • amid growing concern
Synonyms
  • among

    usually used for separate people or things rather than a surrounding situation

  • during

    marks time only and does not suggest being surrounded by the scene

  • in the middle of

    the plainer everyday phrase for both place and situation

Antonyms
  • outside

    not within the surrounding place or situation

  • away from

    at a distance from what surrounds something

Grammar Patterns

amid + noun phrase naming what surrounds someone or something

amid + noise, trouble, celebration, or other ongoing situation

Usage Note

Common in news and literary writing, especially before nouns such as 'chaos', 'smoke', 'cheers', 'violence', or 'concern'. Distinguish from 'with': 'amid' makes the surrounding situation central, not just an added detail.

Common Mistakes

The mayor spoke with loud protests outside the hall.
The mayor spoke amid loud protests outside the hall.
'amid' shows that the protests surrounded the event; 'with' only adds accompanying information.
The hikers waited among heavy smoke by the tunnel.
The hikers waited amid heavy smoke by the tunnel.
use 'amid' for surrounding conditions such as smoke, noise, or confusion; 'among' is more natural for separate people or objects.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: preposition/1

'Amid' is a little more formal than 'among' or 'in the middle of'. Use it when a person or event is surrounded by a scene, feeling, or condition such as smoke, cheers, chaos, celebration, or fear. 'Among' is better for separate people or things, as in 'among friends' or 'among the trees'. 'During' only marks time, so it can name a period but does not show what fills the situation. 'In the middle of' is the plain everyday choice and can describe both place and time, but it sounds less compact and less literary than 'amid'. A useful contrast is: 'The singer smiled amid cheers,' but 'The singer stood among fans,' and 'The meeting ended during the storm.'

amid ↗among ↗during ↗in the middle of

Common collocations

Nouns

  • amid chaos
  • amid smoke
  • amid cheers
  • amid concern

Phrases

  • amid growing concern
  • amid all the confusion
  • amid the ruins

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Amid' comes from Middle English 'amidde', which grew out of Old English 'on middan', literally meaning 'in the middle'. Over time the words closed up into one form, and the meaning widened from physical position to situations such as conflict, celebration, or confusion that seem to surround an event.