Among vs Amongst: Difference and Comparison

Among and Amongst are two very complicated words that sound similar but have different senses and usage, respectively. However, both terms mean the same significant difference between the two words.

Key Takeaways

1. Among and amongst are both prepositions that mean “in the middle of” or “surrounded by.”
2. Among is more commonly used in modern English, while amongst is most widely used in British English.
3. Among is generally considered more formal, while amongst is considered more archaic.

Among vs Amongst

The difference between among and amongst is that among is the older version and is commonly practised in the United States. Whereas, amongst is the young ones that people of Britain tend to use and follow in their slang. Among traces back to old English, which is traditional, whereas the roots of Amongst are fresh and new, rooting to Modern English.

During this period, English scholars started adding sound and tone to the language and making adverbs.

Both the terms are English propositions and could mean any of the following i.e.

1. With the whole of or completely.
2. A group of or mutually agreed to things.
3. Into something or surrounded by someone.
4. Amid things or places.
5. In the class or group of people, place or things in place.

Now I hope you all will be able to answer the following question quickly;

Is it Among or Amongst?

Since you all learned the fundamental difference between Among and Amongst, now it is time for you to learn the implications and usage of both terms.

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Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Among	Amongst
Meaning	An Among means to be situated centrally concerning multiple things in place.	An Amongst refers to being a member of an extensive group or set.
Location Usage	Among is used primarily in the United States and northern parts of America.	Amongst terms is used primarily on Britain.
Common Usage	Among terms that can be used for most of the plural objects of the preposition in English grammar.	Amongst terms can be used either for dramatic or poetic usage of reference.
The era of English Times	It comes from the traditional era of the English language and has ancient roots.	It belongs to the modern era of the English language and has modern roots.
Usage Frequency	Among is more frequently used in American English as it is trendy in the United States.	Amongst is more frequently used in Britain English as it is trendy in Britain.
Example of Usage	It is a famous proverb among the Indians and the Chinese.	It’s a bone disease among American Women.

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What is Among?

Among means surrounded by or amid things or people. It dates back to old traditional English, where people used the term without thinking.

Among is a popular preposition that acts as a bridge to connect nouns and pronouns.

Here are some of the usages of the term;

1. Surrounded by something or in the middle of something.

• I saw a few known faces among the mob in the supermarket.
• The rescue team searched for the body among the debris of fighters.

2. Becoming a part of a group of things or surrounding them from all sides.

• Chill, you are among your best friends.
• She has worked as a doctor, among other things.
• An unhealthy decision that has caused anger among the women of India.

3. To different members of a group having multiple things in place.

• Raj divided his wealth among his 3 not-worthy sons.
• The expenses must be equally spread among the 5 of us who attended the club.

Among is mainly used as a plural noun phrase and has the same meaning as amongst.

Some of the common examples of the same are;

1. Don’t worry about Moher; he is among his friends.
2. I think I finally got the videotape among the list of my other DVD collections.

 

What is Amongst?

Amongst is the modern English preposition and has the same meaning as that of the among, i.e. bounded by or in the focus of things or folks.

It does not date back to the old traditional English, where people used to use the term without thinking.

Amongst is a popular preposition that acts as a bridge to connect nouns and pronouns.

Here are some of the usages of the term;

1. Bounded roughly or in the middle of a somewhat different situation.

• I saw a few different faces amongst the crowd in the hotel.
• The liberation team examined the body amongst the remains of troops.

2. Flattering is a part of the assemblage of things.

• Calm down; you are amongst your contacts.
• She has worked as a medical representative, amongst other things.
• A wise decision that has caused distress among American Women.  

3. To diverse followers of a cluster with multiple things in place.

• Ahoy divided his affluence among his 2 worthy daughters.
• The overheads must be equally divided amongst us who went to the party.

Amongst is mainly used as a singular noun phrase and has the same meaning as among.

Some of the common examples of the same are;

1. Don’t worry about your son; he is amongst his friends.
2. I finally got the TV serial tape amongst my other series assortment of tapes.

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Main Differences Between Among and Amongst

Although both words are used interchangeably by people, there is a lot of difference between Among and Amongst regarding parts of speech and grammar.

1. Among comes back from old traditional English-speaking history, whereas Amongst is relatively fresh and new.
2. The term Amongst is followed chiefly in Britain, whereas the word Among is ubiquitous in the United States.  
3. Among is part and parcel of the American English style, whereas the preposition Amongst is used in Britain’s English style.
4. Amongst is used as a singular noun phrase with the same meaning as among, whereas the term among is used as a plural noun phrase preposition.

References

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/among
2. https://www.yourdictionary.com/amongst