among

amongpreposition

American /əˈmʌŋ/ British /əˈmʌŋ/ The stress is on the second part: uh-MUNG, rhyming with sung.
British form: amongst (an older-sounding form used the same way as among)

Among shows being part of a group of three or more, or something shared or exchanged within such a group.

  1. in a groupsurrounded by, or included as one of, a group of three or more people or things

    Collocations

    phrase among other things, among the best, among friends

    Compare between (among is the usual choice for three or more; between is for two, or for more than two considered individually)

    For translators (sense 1)

    Grammar trap Among is used with three or more people or things; between is usual for two, though between is also common with more than two when they are named or considered individually: the treaty between the five countries.
  2. shared betweenshared, divided, or exchanged between the members of a group

    Collocations

    verb + preposition divide among, share among, split among

Common mistakes

They shared the cake between the six children. They shared the cake among the six children.
Among is the traditional choice for three or more people or things treated as a group, though between is also common in relaxed speech; between is required for exactly two, or when more than two are named individually.

See also between