among Meaning & Definition
What Does Among Mean?
As a preposition, among means Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things). It can also mean Associated with or living alongside (other people or things). As an adverb, it means Along with (someone or something); together.
Among at a Glance
| Part of speech | preposition, adverb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ɔ// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | amid, amidst and amongst |
Among Definition (Preposition)
- Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).
to put the cat among the pigeons
- 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?
- Belonging to (a group comprising similar people or things).
He is among the few who completely understand the subject.
- Distinct in some way from (other members of a group); specifically, superior or pre-eminent compared to (other members of a group).
- Of an event or a fact.
Originally, in the course of; during; now, in the circumstances or context of.
Distributed or divided between (members of a group).
Done jointly by (two or more people).
In the general custom or opinion of (members of a group).
Occurring between (members of a group) or within (a group).
Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.
- Originally, in the course of; during; now, in the circumstances or context of.
- Distributed or divided between (members of a group).
- Done jointly by (two or more people).
- In the general custom or opinion of (members of a group).
- Occurring between (members of a group) or within (a group).
Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.
Among as an Adverb
- Along with (someone or something); together.
- 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.
Synonyms of Among
Among synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Among
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Among in a Sentence
to put the cat among the pigeons
How can you speak with authority about their customs when you have never lived among them?
He is among the few who completely understand the subject.
Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.
Word Forms & Grammar
among
Words That Rhyme With Among
Origin of Among
Origin 1: The preposition is derived from Middle English among, amang, amange, amonge (“in the presence of, amid, among; in, within; between; during”),[1] from Old English amang,[2] onġemang (preposition),[3] from on (“on, among, in”)[4] (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + ġemang (“crowd; mixture”, noun)[5][6] (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”);[7] ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *menk- (“to knead; to press”))).[8] By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’) + mong (“crowd, throng; group”).
Origin 2: 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”),[9] from Old English onġemang (adverb):[3] see further above.
Origin 3: The raising of /ɔ/ (which would have yielded /ɒ/) to /u/ (hence modern /ʌ/) within Middle English is regular between /m/ and /ŋ/; compare monger, mongrel.
Pronouncing Among
You say among as //ɔ//. It has 1 syllable.