among

preposition

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\ ə-ˈməŋ

variants: or less commonly amongst \ ə-ˈməŋ(k)st

Definition of among

1 : in or through the midst of : surrounded by hidden among the trees

2 : in company or association with living among artists

3 : by or through the aggregate of discontent among the poor

4 : in the number or class of wittiest among poets among other things she was president of her college class

5 : in shares to each of divided among the heirs

6a : through the reciprocal acts of quarreling among themselves

b : through the joint action of made a fortune among themselves

Synonyms Between vs. Among: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about among

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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 , and even when only one item is mentioned (but repetition is implied). pausing between every sentence to rap the floor — 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 the author alternates among mod slang, clichés and quotes from literary giants — A. H. Johnston

Examples of among in a Sentence

The disease spread quickly among the members of the community. The house is nestled among the trees. The ball was hidden among the leaves. There were ducks among the geese. There were several hecklers scattered among the crowd. He lived among artists and writers. The people of the town were frightened to think that a killer might be living among them.

Recent Examples on the Web But their court cases are also part of a growing willingness among green investors to see legal action as an alternative to divestment. — The Economist, "Setting precedents Green investors are embracing litigation," 21 Nov. 2020 Yu played in the U.S. Open for the third time in September, finishing 89th overall and seventh among current amateurs. — Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, "ASU golfer Chun An Yu rises to No. 1 in World Amateur rankings," 20 Nov. 2020 With the Wisconsin Legislature being among the least active full-time legislative bodies in the country, Democrats are complicit. — David D. Haynes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Opinion: Many letter writers are upset with the Wisconsin Legislature's inaction on coronavirus. Others are upset with the Editorial Board.," 20 Nov. 2020 But Marshall was not among the 60 names announced Wednesday night. — Adam Baum, The Enquirer, "Report: After going undrafted, Xavier's Naji Marshall lands with the New Orleans Pelicans," 20 Nov. 2020 Imagine yourself in a Jurassic Park among the savanna grasses of the Cerrado, Brazil. — Melissa Findley, National Geographic, "Destinations on the rise for 2021," 20 Nov. 2020 Despite being among the East's best teams for several years, the Celtics have long lacked a rim-protecting big. — J. Michael, The Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Indiana Pacers enter what could be a helter-skelter free-agent period," 20 Nov. 2020 And some of that money might need to be divvyed among second-round picks Terry and Bey -- the latter of whom, Carlisle said on 105.3 The Fan, will be one of Dallas’ two-way contract players; the other is undrafted guard Nate Hinton out of Houston. — Dallas News, "Mavericks turn eyes toward free agency in fast-paced NBA offseason: ‘We’re not done yet’," 20 Nov. 2020 There are battles between the surviving humans, who naturally fight among each other even as their species is threatened by extinction. — Ryu Spaeth, The New Republic, "Hayao Miyazaki’s Viral Stories," 19 Nov. 2020

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