among
Definition
- Preposition:
- In the midst of; surrounded by: "among" indicates being in a group or within a surrounding environment.
- In the number or group of: Used to show inclusion within a larger set or category.
- Shared or distributed by a number of people: Indicates mutual action or division within a group.
Usage Examples
- In the midst of:
- She felt safe among her friends. (Surrounded by her friends.)
- In the number or group of:
- He is among the best students in the class. (He is one of the best students.)
- Shared by a number of people:
- The money was divided among the five children. (Each child received a share.)
Advanced Usage
- "among others": Used to indicate that there are additional examples beyond those mentioned.
- The conference included speakers from Harvard, Yale, and among others, Stanford. (Stanford is one of several examples.)
- "among themselves": Refers to actions or feelings that occur within a group, not involving outsiders.
- The committee argued among themselves before reaching a decision. (The argument was internal to the group.)
- "first among equals": A phrase describing a leader who is considered the most important but still part of a group of equals.
- In the council, the chairperson is first among equals. (The chairperson has authority but shares status with others.)
Variants and Related Words
- Amongst (preposition): A variant of "among," more common in British English, with the same meanings.
- He was popular amongst his peers. (He was liked by his peers.)
- Between (preposition): Often confused with "among"; "between" is used for two distinct items, while "among" is used for three or more or a collective group.
- The secret was between you and me. (Two people.)
- The secret was among the whole team. (A group.)
Synonyms
- Amid: in the middle of or surrounded by.
- The house stood amid the trees. (Surrounded by trees.)
- In the company of: together with others.
- She felt comfortable in the company of old friends. (Among friends.)
- In the midst of: in the middle of a group or situation.
- He found himself in the midst of a heated debate. (Among the debaters.)
Related Idioms
- Among the living: alive, as opposed to dead.
- After the accident, he was grateful to be among the living. (He was still alive.)
- One among many: just one of a large number of similar things or people.
- Her novel was one among many submitted for the prize. (She was one of many applicants.)
- Fall among: to find oneself in a particular group of people (often negative).
- He fell among thieves on his journey. (He encountered a group of thieves.)