among
Syllables: a·mong/əˈmɜŋ/UK/əˈmʌŋ/
among preposition: of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).
Preposition
among
- Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).
- to put the cat among the pigeons
- And Adam hyd him ſelf with his wyfe [Eve], from the preſence of yͤ LORDE God amonge the trees of the garden.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Genesis iij:[8]...
- Associated with or living alongside (other people or things).
- How can you speak with authority about their customs when you have never lived among them?
- In like maner Ephraim droue not out yͤ Cananites that dwelt at Gaſer [Gezer], but the Cananites dwelt amonge them at Gaſer.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Judges j:[29]...
- Belonging to (a group comprising similar people or things).
- He is among the few who completely understand the subject.
- All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism.2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Dec 2025
- Distinct in some way from (other members of a group); specifically, superior or pre-eminent compared to (other members of a group).
- When the history of this Nation, and our great State is written, it shall be recorded that John Dent was a giant among men, a humanitarian, and most of all, a man dedicated not only to the people who elected him, but a man dedicated to the nation as well.1978 October 14, [Daniel] Flood, “Retiring Members of 95th Congress”, in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 95th Congress, Second Session: Appendix (United States House of...
- Originally, in the course of; during; now, in the circumstances or context of.
- Distributed or divided between (members of a group).
- And if you come hether, / When Damſines [damsons] I gether, / I will part them all you among.1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Aprill. Ægloga Quarta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 14, recto
- There is a lad here, which hath fiue barley loaues, and two ſmall fiſhes: but what are they among ſo many?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 6:9, signature [I6], verso, column 1
- Done jointly by (two or more people).
- [Y]ou haue among you, kild a ſvveet and innocent lady: […]1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act V...
- If the Injury vvas done by more, vvho did all equally concur to the doing of it, they are all equally bound to make Satisfaction; […] every one is not bound to ſatisfie for the vvhole, but pro ratâ parte, for his ſhare; provided they do among them make full Satisfaction.a. 1695 (date written), John Tillotson, “Sermon XII. The Nature and Necessity of Restitution. The First Sermon on this Text. Luke XIX. 8, 9.”, in Ralph Barker, editor, Several Discourses of...
- In the general custom or opinion of (members of a group).
- Foraſmuch as many haue taken in hande to ſet foorth in order a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely beeleued among vs, […] It ſeemed good to me alſo, hauing had perfect vnderſtanding of things from the very firſt, to write vnto thee in order, moſt excellent Theophilus, That thou...1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 1:1 and 3–4, signature F, verso, column 1
- Such is the variety of opinions which are here entertained of me, so that I pass among some for a disaffected person, and among others for a popish priest; among some for a wizard, and among others for a murderer; and all this for no other reason that I can imagine but because I do not hoot, and...1711 August 10 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “MONDAY, July 31, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 131; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II...
- Occurring between (members of a group) or within (a group).
- Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.
- Then was there diſcenſion amõge [amonge] the Jewes for theſe ſayenges.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Jhon [John] x:[19]...
Adverb
among
- Along with (someone or something); together.
- Yeat interlace vve ſhall among the Loue of her and him: […]1602, William Warner, “The Eleventh Booke. Chapter LXI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London...
- And of the ſame vvorke vvere their baſes, their head-'tires of flovvers, mix'd vvith ſiluer, and gold, vvith ſome ſprigs of Ægrets among, and from the top of their dreſſing, a thinne vayle hanging dovvne.1631, [Ben Jonson], Chloridia. Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs. […], London: […] Thomas Walkley, →OCLC, signature B2, verso
- At the same time, all the while, meanwhile.
- In addition, beside.
- Chiefly with contrasting adjectives or adverbs: from time to time, now and then; also, here and there.
- [Y[our beſt vvay is, to direct your courſe Eaſt North-eaſt, and North-eaſt by Eaſt, among; […]1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “A Ruter, or Briefe Direction for Readie Sayling into the East-India, Digested into a Plaine Method by Master Iohn Davis of Lime-house, vpon Experience of His Fiue Voyages...
among meaning in Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam and Arabic
among in Hindi
- of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things)
- के बीच में ke bīc mẽ, में mẽ
among in Bengali
- of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things)
- মাঝে majhe
among in Malayalam
- of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things)
- ഇടയ്ക്ക് iṭaykkŭ, ഇടയിൽ iṭayil
- belonging to (a group comprising similar people or things)
- കൂട്ടത്തിൽ kūṭṭattil, ഇടയിൽ iṭayil
among in Arabic
- of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things)
- بَيْنَ bayna
- belonging to (a group comprising similar people or things)
- مِنْ min
More languagesFewer languages
- among in Malay
- dalam kalangan
- among in Indonesian
- antara, di antara, dalam, di tengah
- among in Persian
- در میان dar miyân-e
- among in Thai
- ท่ามกลาง tâam-glaang
- among in Vietnamese
- trong số
Examples of among in a sentence
- As for the former [seaweed] called Zoſter, it is found among the ſhelves and ſhallovv vvaters not farre from the ſhore: both the one and the other appeare in the Spring, and be gone in the Autumne.1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XIII.] Of Shrubs and Trees Growing in Our Mediterranean Sea, in the Red Sea...
- They [vinellos] are commo[n]ly ſold for 3 pence a Cod among the Spaniards in the VVeſt-Indies, and are ſold by the Druggiſt, for they are much uſed among Chocolate to perfume it.1697, William Dampier, chapter VIII, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 235:
- When the good man skulked towards the boxes appointed for the Lacedemonians, that honest people, more virtuous than polite, rose up all to a man, and with the greatest respect received him among them.1711 March 17 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “TUESDAY, March 7, 1710–1711”, in The Spectator, number 6; republished in Alexander...
- She follovved the nuns to a chapel vvhere they uſually performed their devotions, and vvas there ſeated among the novices.1797, Ann Radcliffe, chapter VIII, in The Italian, or The Confessional of the Black Penitents. A Romance. […], volume I, London: […]...
Synonyms of among
Forms of among
| alternative form | amonge |
|---|---|
| alternative form | amoung |
Origin of among
The preposition is derived from Middle English among, amang, amange, amonge (“in the presence of, amid, among; in, within; between; during”), from Old English amang, onġemang (preposition), from on (“on, among, in”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + ġemang (“crowd; mixture”, noun) (from ġe- (prefix forming nouns denoting association or similarity) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by; near; with”)) + mang- (from mængan, mengan (“to mingle, mix”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *menk- (“to knead; to press”))). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’) + mong (“crowd, throng; group”). The adverb is derived from Middle English among, amang (“accompanied by, along with, by the side of, in association with, together; all the while, continually; also, besides; at the same time; from time to time, occasionally; meanwhile; within”), from Old English onġemang (adverb): see further above. cognates * Dutch mank, maank (“among”) * German mang (“among”) (dialectal) * German Low German mank, manken (“among”) * Saterland Frisian monk, monken (“among”) * West Frisian mank (“among”)
Words formed from among
Phrases with among
Words that rhyme with among
Questions about among
- What does among mean?
- Among means of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).
- What is among in Hindi?
- Among in Hindi is के बीच में (ke bīc mẽ), में (mẽ). See Among meaning in Hindi.
- How do you use among in a sentence?
- As for the former [seaweed] called Zoſter, it is found among the ſhelves and ſhallovv vvaters not farre from the ſhore: both the one and the other appeare in the Spring, and be gone in the Autumne.
- What part of speech is among?
- Among can be a preposition or an adverb.
- How do you pronounce among?
- Among is pronounced /əˈmʌŋ/ (UK).
Words near among in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: among (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-among.ogg.
Cite this entry: “among.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/among. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.