among
gb/əmˈʌŋ/ us/əmˈʌŋ/
A2
English
~ 500
Senses
0 senses
preposition
A2
relation
1
in the middle of a group
In the middle of a group of people or things.
Usage pattern:
among [a group of people/things]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'among' with 'between'. Use 'between' when talking about two items, and 'among' for three or more.
Synonyms
amid (Slightly more formal and less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
outside (Indicates being not part of or not within a group.)
Collocations
among friends
|among the crowd
|among the trees
|among the students
|among colleagues
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She found herself among strangers at the party.
- The deer was hiding among the tall trees.
- He felt comfortable among his colleagues.
- Among the many books, one caught her eye.
- The singer stood among her fans for photos.
Learner examples
- I am happy among my friends.
- The cat is among the boxes.
- He is sitting among the children.
- We saw flowers among the grass.
- She is among her family now.
preposition
B1
relation
2
as part of a group
Being part of a larger group or set.
Usage pattern:
among [members/group/category]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'between' instead of 'among' when referring to membership in a group.
Synonyms
within (Often interchangeable, but 'within' can suggest being inside boundaries rather than just part of a group.)
Antonyms
apart from (Indicates exclusion from a group or category.)
Collocations
among the winners
|among the best
|among the first
|among the top students
Themes
daily life
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was among the first to arrive.
- The proposal was popular among young voters.
- He is counted among the greatest athletes in history.
- Among the options, this one is cheapest.
- The school is ranked among the top ten in the country.
Learner examples
- He is among the best players.
- She is among the winners.
- This shop is among my favorites.
- You are among my closest friends.
- The city is among the largest in the country.
preposition
B1
relation
3
shared within a group
Given, felt, or shared by all in a group.
Usage pattern:
[something] among [a group]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'among' with 'to' when describing distribution. Use 'among' to show it is divided within the group.
Synonyms
between ('Between' can also be used for two or more, but 'among' emphasizes distribution within a group.)
Antonyms
kept from (Indicates not sharing or distributing to others.)
Collocations
share among friends
|divide among children
|spread among workers
Themes
daily life
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They divided the money among the team members.
- There was excitement among the audience.
- The news spread quickly among neighbors.
- We shared the cake among us all.
- Among all employees, there was a sense of pride.
Learner examples
- We shared food among friends.
- They gave toys among children.
- The teacher gave papers among students.
- We split the money among us.
- He spread the news among workers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
among
IPA
GB/əmˈʌŋ/
US/əmˈʌŋ/
Syllables & stress
among (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: among
- Plural: amongs
Word family
Forms
amongs
noun
Related words
amongst
preposition B1
Expressions
among other things
1/əmˈʌŋ ˈʌðɚ θˈɪŋz/
fixed phrase
including other unspecified items
Used to show there are more examples not mentioned.
Examples
- She enjoys hiking and painting, among other things.
- The box contained books, clothes, and, among other things, some old letters.
lost among the crowd
1/lˈɔst əmˈʌŋ ðə kɹˈaʊd/
fixed phrase
unnoticed in a large group
Not noticed because there are many other people around you.
Examples
- He felt lost among the crowd at the festival.
- Her small voice was lost among the crowd's cheers.