Among vs. Amongst – How to Use Each Correctly
What’s the Difference Between Among and Amongst?
Contents
Among and amongst are two variants of the same preposition.
Among means in the middle of or surrounded by.
- There are places in Costa Rica where you can swim among a pod of dolphins.
Amongst has the same meaning but is less common.
- As the ballerina rested amongst the poppies, visions of grandeur danced in her head.
Now, let’s go over a few ways to use these words in English.
Using Among in a Sentence
When to use among: Among is a preposition that means surrounded by. It can also mean one of multiple, with a portion to each, or each person with the other.
For example,
- The deer was terrified to find itself among a group of hunters. (surrounded by)
- Entering data is among your many duties, as well. (one of multiple)
- When your mother and I die, our fortune will be split among all of our children. (with a portion for each)
- The students in the back of the room all talk among themselves. (each person with the other)
There are several idioms that use among:
- honor among thieves: even those who rob from other people have some rules of conduct with each other
- I know my brother and I are thieves, but he would never steal from me. There is honor among thieves.
- count/list/rank among: to include someone or something on a list
- I count cheesecake among the most delicious desserts.
- to be first among equals: to be the highest ranked within a group of one’s peers
- I recommend Sarah as the first choice for the coveted internship spot. Of all the students in my class, she is the first among equals.
Among is over ten times more common than amongst. Therefore, in most contexts, among is the better choice.
Using Amongst in a Sentence
When to use amongst: Amongst has the exact same meaning and grammatical rules as among. The only difference is that this spelling is less common in both American and British English.
For example,
- I brought individual servings of creme brulee for our tea party. Please distribute them amongst yourselves.
- During the cotillion, the young debutante found herself amongst many powerful citizens of her town.
Amongst occurs in the same idioms and expressions as among. The only difference is that amongst is less common. Stylistically, people use amongst when they want to sound more formal or more poetic.
Remembering Among vs. Amongst
Although these words have the same meaning, you should still be aware that among is the more common of the two, and that amongst is mostly used in formal or poetic contexts.
One way to help you remember this is to think of the similar words between and betwixt. These words also have the same meanings as one another, but between is much more common and suitable for most contexts. Betwixt is somewhat archaic and only appears in very formal situations or for poetic or literary style.
If you can remember that betwixt ends in an st sound (although the spelling looks different) just like amongst, it can help you remember that amongst is less common, like betwixt.
Outside Examples
- The Broncos finished training camp and preseason facing difficult decisions at multiple positions, especially running back. Among the first wave of cuts Friday were veteran running backs Stevan Ridley and Juwan Thompson. –Denver Post
- About 21,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes and workplaces in the western city of Koblenz as a precaution before specialists attempt to defuse the 1,100-pound U.S. bomb Saturday afternoon. Among those moved to safety are prison inmates and hospital patients. –New York Post
- Sandra Bullock is amongst the long list of celebrities helping to raise funds for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Entertainment Tonight reports that she has donated $1 million to the Red Cross. –USA Today
- “We all know how realistic the friendships are … amongst the cast and then the crew and the producers.” –LA Times
Quiz: Amongst vs. Among
Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word, amongst or among, in the correct form.
- I want all the players on my team to get out ______________ the opposing team players! Everyone should be guarding one of the other team members, not congregating ___________ your own teammates. (more common word)
- The spirits rose from ______________ the graves in the cemetery. (less common word)
- I can’t tell you the correct answer. Discuss the options _____________ yourselves and tell me what you decide. (less common word)
See answers below.
Article Summary
Should I use among or amongst? Although both of these words are correct, and even share the same definition, there are some differences in usage.
- Among is a preposition that has the primary meaning of in the middle of. This variant is appropriate most of the time, and is much more common.
- Amongst has the exact same meaning, but it occurs much less frequently. Most people choose to use this only in very formal situations or for literary effect.
Use among most of the time, and only use amongst when you want to be quite formal or to add a certain literary style to what you are saying.
Answers
- among, among
- amongst
- amongst