be·tween
bi-ˈtwēn 
bē-
1
a
: by the common action of : jointly engaging
shared the work between the two of them
talks between the three—
Time
Time
b
: in common to : shared by
divided between his four grandchildren
2
a
: in the time, space, or interval that separates
the alley between the butcher shop and the pharmacy
should arrive between 9 and 10 o'clock
b
: in intermediate relation to
weighs somewhere between a pound and a pound and a half
3
a
: from one to another of
air service between Miami and Chicago
b
: serving to connect or unite in a relationship (such as difference, likeness, or proportion)
a one-to-one correspondence between sets
mutual understanding between them
c
: setting apart
the line between fact and fancy
4
a
: in preference for one or the other of
had no difficulty deciding between the two
b
: in point of comparison of
little difference between the two cars
5
: in confidence restricted to
a secret between you and me
6
: taking together the combined effect of
between work and family life, they have no time for hobbies
Between vs. Among: Usage Guide
There is a persistent but unfounded notion that between can be used only of two items and that among must be used for more than two. Between has been used of more than two since Old English; it is especially appropriate to denote a one-to-one relationship, regardless of the number of items. It can be used when the number is unspecified
economic cooperation between nations
, when more than two are enumerated
between you and me and the lamppost
partitioned between Austria, Prussia, and Russia
—Nathaniel Benchley
Nathaniel Benchley
, and even when only one item is mentioned (but repetition is implied).
pausing between every sentence to rap the floor
—George Eliot
George Eliot
Among is more appropriate where the emphasis is on distribution rather than individual relationships.
discontent among the peasants
When among is automatically chosen for more than two, English idiom may be strained.
a worthy book that nevertheless falls among many stools
—John Simon
John Simon
the author alternates among mod slang, clichés and quotes from literary giants
—A. H. Johnston
A. H. Johnston
: in an intermediate space or interval
two beds with a nightstand between
Examples of between in a Sentence
Preposition
The ball rolled between the desk and the wall.
He stood between his mother and his father.
The office has two desks with a table between them.
They put up a fence between their house and their neighbor's house.
There are fences between all the houses.
If you want to lose weight, you shouldn't eat between meals.
Between bites of food, they talked to their teacher.
The two days between Monday and Thursday are Tuesday and Wednesday.
We should arrive between 9 and 10 o'clock.
Adverb
The office has two desks with a table between.
Recent Examples on the WebJim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
What is the difference between periodical and annual cicadas?
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
That link to Cynthia Ann Parker and her struggle to navigate between two worlds remains today in many of the dozens — perhaps hundreds — of Parker descendants scattered throughout Fort Worth and the Metroplex.
—Carol Roark, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
For the first time, there was a tie between two queens: Sapphira Cristál and Xunami Muse won the title and were awarded $10,000 each, courtesy of Olay.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024
Foster said of his process in setting the matchups between his players.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
El-Erian warned that further escalation between Iran and Israel would weaken fragile global growth, heat up inflation, and further stress stretched central banks and governments that already have limited ability to respond to new shocks.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2024
To create a suitable indoor environment, however, constant use of a humidifier will be necessary since relative humidity around the plant must be at least 50% at all times and the relative humidity in our residences fluctuates between 30 and 50%.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
The suite of photographs, which Kurland made during months living on the road between 2005 and 2011, is split into two parallel bodies of work.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
Lila Kee, Forbes, 4 May 2023
The highs and lows are dramatic and the transitions between are often instantaneous, making rich fodder for TikTok, where a growing number of lips are suddenly shrinking before our eyes.
—Jolene Edgar, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 June 2023
Covid-19 drugs are few and far between, and generics of these drugs won’t be available in China due to failed manufacturer negotiations.
—Cathy Tie, STAT, 2 Feb. 2023
Leaks are few and far between, and the president has behaved as a more traditional button-down politician, giving the media few easy targets.
—Sarah Ellison and Elahe Izadi, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Jan. 2023
On a night in which true surprises were few and far between on the film side of the ledger, two of the biggest upsets came from non-English-language films.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2023
In the 1950s, galleries were few and far between in Chicago.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2023
Tizzies have been few and far between in Arlington lately.
—Dallas News, 9 Sep. 2022
Crosswalks remain few and far between, and direct walking routes sometimes send pedestrians through parking lots.
—Lori Aratani, Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2022
Preposition
Ellie Davis drove in another with a single between shortstop and third.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
What is the difference between periodical and annual cicadas?
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
That link to Cynthia Ann Parker and her struggle to navigate between two worlds remains today in many of the dozens — perhaps hundreds — of Parker descendants scattered throughout Fort Worth and the Metroplex.
—Carol Roark, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
For the first time, there was a tie between two queens: Sapphira Cristál and Xunami Muse won the title and were awarded $10,000 each, courtesy of Olay.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024
Foster said of his process in setting the matchups between his players.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
El-Erian warned that further escalation between Iran and Israel would weaken fragile global growth, heat up inflation, and further stress stretched central banks and governments that already have limited ability to respond to new shocks.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2024
To create a suitable indoor environment, however, constant use of a humidifier will be necessary since relative humidity around the plant must be at least 50% at all times and the relative humidity in our residences fluctuates between 30 and 50%.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
The suite of photographs, which Kurland made during months living on the road between 2005 and 2011, is split into two parallel bodies of work.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
Adverb
In managing our data, there is a push-pull between centralized and decentralized identity management.
—Lila Kee, Forbes, 4 May 2023
The highs and lows are dramatic and the transitions between are often instantaneous, making rich fodder for TikTok, where a growing number of lips are suddenly shrinking before our eyes.
—Jolene Edgar, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 June 2023
Covid-19 drugs are few and far between, and generics of these drugs won’t be available in China due to failed manufacturer negotiations.
—Cathy Tie, STAT, 2 Feb. 2023
Leaks are few and far between, and the president has behaved as a more traditional button-down politician, giving the media few easy targets.
—Sarah Ellison and Elahe Izadi, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Jan. 2023
On a night in which true surprises were few and far between on the film side of the ledger, two of the biggest upsets came from non-English-language films.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2023
In the 1950s, galleries were few and far between in Chicago.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2023
Tizzies have been few and far between in Arlington lately.
—Dallas News, 9 Sep. 2022
Crosswalks remain few and far between, and direct walking routes sometimes send pedestrians through parking lots.
—Lori Aratani, Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'between.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Video
I vs. Me
'Between you and __'? Simple guidance for a tricky pronoun.
Dictionary Entries Near between
Cite this Entry
“Between.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/between. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
between
1 of 2 preposition
be·tween
bi-ˈtwēn
1
: by the common action of
ate six pizzas between them
2
: in the time or space that separates
between nine and ten o'clock
between the desk and the wall
3
a
: from one to the other of
flying between Miami and Chicago
b
: joining or linking in some relationship
the bond between friends
the difference between soccer and football
4
: in comparison of
there's not much to choose between the two coats
5
: staying known by only certain people
a secret between you and me
6
: taking together the combined effect of
between school and sports, they have little time for TV
between
2 of 2 adverb
: in an intermediate space or interval
two cars with a truck between
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