amongst
gb/əmˈʌŋst/ us/əmˈʌŋst/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
preposition
formal
B1
relation
1
in the middle of a group
In the middle of or part of a group of people or things.
Usage pattern:
amongst [a group of people/things]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'amongst' in very casual speech where 'among' is more natural in modern English.
Synonyms
among (More common in modern English; 'amongst' is more formal or literary.)
Antonyms
outside (Indicates being not within or part of a group.)
Collocations
amongst friends
|amongst the crowd
|amongst the trees
|amongst colleagues
Themes
daily life
|communication
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She found herself amongst strangers at the party.
- The deer hid quietly amongst the bushes.
- He felt comfortable amongst his old school friends.
- The letter was discovered amongst a pile of old papers.
Learner examples
- I am happy amongst my friends.
- The cat sleeps amongst the flowers.
- He stood quietly amongst the trees.
- She was nervous amongst new people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
amongst
IPA
GB/əmˈʌŋst/
US/əmˈʌŋst/
Syllables & stress
amongst (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: amongst
- Plural: amongsts
Word family
Forms
amongsts
noun
Core family
among
preposition A2
Expressions
hidden amongst the trees
1/hˈɪdən əmˈʌŋst ðə tɹˈiz/
fixed phrase
covered by trees
Not seen because trees are all around it.
Examples
- The cabin was hidden amongst the trees.
- The deer stayed hidden amongst the trees until it was safe.
lost amongst the crowd
1/lˈɔst əmˈʌŋst ðə kɹˈaʊd/
fixed phrase
hard to see in a large crowd
Not noticed because there are many other people around.
Examples
- She felt lost amongst the crowd at the concert.
- The small protest was lost amongst the crowd of festival-goers.