People often get confused with the words ‘Among or Amongst’ as they do not know how the words are used or do they have the same or different meanings. And this leads to arguments and confusion.
So, in this article, I will explain to you the difference between Among Or Amongst and help you understand their correct usage in the sentences. As you read through this article I will clear all your doubts related to the points mentioned below :
- Do they have different meanings?
- When do we use these two words?
- How do we use them?
- Similarities between the words.
- Which is more appropriate to use?
Among Vs Amongst
· Meaning of Among
The word ‘Among’ means being a member or associated with a large group. It could also mean being surrounded or in the middle of other things.
Examples
There was a red car toy among the toys in the shop which I liked the most.
Sara was the most brilliant student among other students in the class.
You can choose any one among these students as they all are good in Arts.
I am unable to choose the perfect dress for the party among all the dresses I have.
· Meaning of Amongst
The word ‘Amongst’ is not commonly used because it is seen as an old-fashioned American English word. However, it is used in poems and figures of speeches. It is better to use ‘Amongst’ at the beginning of the sentence but it can be used in the middle also.
Examples
Amongst every girl present here, she got the highest vote in this contest.
I don’t think I can trust anyone amongst my friends.
Amongst all the students in the class, Sam was the favorite student of all teachers.
They decided that amongst everything they have to sell for money, they won’t see their house.
Similarities between Among Or Amongst
- Among Or Amongst are prepositions.
- Both are used to refer to more than two people or things.
- They both indicate the ‘midst’ of something or in the company of.
- Both can be used interchangeably.
Which is the most appropriate to use?
However, both words can be used interchangeably. So you can use either Among or Amongst depending on your context. But it is advisable to use ‘among’ which is considered most appropriate to use.
The final words
I hope this article was helpful and it has cleared all your doubts related to Among Or Amongst.
