Among and Amongst

What is the difference between among and amongst?

The words among and amongst can be used interchangeably. In the US, amongst is rare to the extent it will be considered wrong – especially in formal writing.

Among and Amongst

The prepositions among and amongst both mean amidst, surrounded by or in the company of. They can be used interchangeably in the UK. In the US, amongst is very rare and is only really used in literary prose seeking to add a sense of the old fashioned. Most in the US would consider the use of amongst to be wrong in a formal document.

Only Americans Should Avoid Amongst

In the UK, life is easy. Brits can choose whichever version they think sounds best to them.

Some examples: