amid

preposition \ ə-ˈmid \

variants: or amidst play \-ˈmidst, -ˈmitst\

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Examples: amid in a Sentence

1 : in or into the middle of : surrounded by : among

amid the crowd

2 a : during

amid the fighting

b : with the accompaniment of

resigned amid rumors of misconduct

See amid defined for English-language learners

See amid defined for kids

Examples of amid in a Sentence

It was hard to hear amid all the cheering.
The investigation comes amid growing concerns.
Amid such changes, one thing stayed the same.
He managed to escape amid the confusion.
There was a single dark bird amid a flock of white pigeons.

Recent Examples of amid from the Web

The cartel’s members and other big producers like Russia are expected to discuss easing a coordinated effort to hold back crude output, amid rising prices and geopolitical risks to supply in Venezuela and Iran.

— christopher alessi, WSJ, "Global Economy to Drive Strong Oil Demand in 2019, Says IEA," 13 June 2018
In January 2017, a limited rotational force of approximately 300 Marines were sent to Vaernes amid rising tensions with Russia following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

— ryan browne, CNN, "US to double number of Marines in Norway amid Russia tensions," 12 June 2018
Former basketball star and current marijuana cryptocurrency billboard Dennis Rodman is going to be in Singapore amid the summit, however.

— chas danner, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Says He’ll Know Outcome of North Korea Summit After One Minute," 9 June 2018
Rosenberger resigned in April amid the FBI probe into his lavish lifestyle, including his travel.

— chrissie thompson, Cincinnati.com, "FBI visits luxury condo owned by heiress and rented by former Ohio Speaker Rosenberger," 9 June 2018
Her party had grown deeply unpopular amid rising electricity prices and voter fatigue.

— josh wingrove, Bloomberg.com, "Ford's Conservatives Win Ontario Election on Populist Platform," 8 June 2018
The records were released Thursday by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) at a time when Vos is under scrutiny for his own travel after former Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigned in April amid an FBI investigation into his travel.

— patrick marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Taxpayers reimbursed lawmakers $100,000 worth of travel expenses since 2015," 7 June 2018
Solar panel prices are falling again amid dramatic changes this week in the Chinese market.

— mike rogoway, OregonLive.com, "SunPower's deal for SolarWorld's Hillsboro factory already facing pressure from China," 6 June 2018
Facebook grapples with the ways that Facebook is bad for mental health amid its many privacy scandals and nightmares.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "When Is Instagram Going to Blow It?," 6 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of amid

amid from Middle English amidde, from Old English onmiddan, from on + middan, dative of midde mid; amidst from Middle English amiddes, from amidde + -es -s

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year