Among vs Amongst: What Is the Difference?
Among and amongst mean the same thing: in the middle of, or shared by, a group. Among is far more common in both American and British English; amongst is mainly British and sounds more formal or literary.
Updated 21 October 2026 · EssayWriting.com editorial team
- Among and amongst mean the same; among is standard.
- Use between for two items or individual relationships.
- In essays, prefer among.
Among vs amongst: the difference at a glance
| Word | Where used | Example |
|---|---|---|
| among | everywhere; standard | Common among first-year students. |
| amongst | mainly British; formal or literary | Amongst the papers was a letter. |
| between | two (or distinct) items | Choose between APA and MLA. |
Among or amongst?
For essays, among is the safe choice in both US and UK English. Modern British style guides generally prefer among too, so amongst can sound old-fashioned. The same goes for while/whilst.
- Debate continues among historians.
- Among the 200 participants, 40 withdrew.
Among vs between
Use between for two items, or for several items considered individually. Use among for a group considered collectively.
- A treaty between France, Spain and Italy (each pair).
- The prize was shared among the team.
- The difference between the two groups was significant.
How to remember the difference
Between has tw like two. Among is for a group. And when in doubt, choose among over amongst.
Tricky cases and exceptions
Statistics: "differences among three groups" and "between-groups variance" are both standard. Among others means in addition to other people or things.
Among vs amongst in academic writing
Use among in research writing: "the prevalence among adolescents", "consensus among scholars". Reserve between for comparisons of two or clearly individual items, which matters in compare and contrast essays.
Practice quiz
Choose the correct option, then open each answer to check your reasoning.
1. There was little agreement ___ the experts. (among / between)
among: a group.
2. Choose ___ the two topics. (among / between)
between: two.
3. Is amongst wrong?
No, but among is more common and safer in academic writing.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Is amongst British?
Mostly, and even there among is more common.
Can between be used for more than two?
Yes, when each item is considered individually, as in a treaty between three countries.
Is "amongst" more formal?
It can sound formal or literary.
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