Is there a Difference Between ‘Among’ and ‘Amongst’?  

by Arushi Gupta

One common point of confusion in the English language is the use of “among” and “amongst.” Here’s a blog that will explore the difference between among and amongst along with providing examples to help clarify their use. We also present a trusted AI writing solution to help you enhance your language in minutes.

‘Amongst’ definition

“Amongst” is a preposition used to indicate that something is part of a larger group or collection. It is a less common variant of the word “among.” It is considered an archaic or formal version of the word, and its use is generally limited to specific contexts. It is more appropriate to make the use of “amongst” in legal documents or historical texts. It may also be used in certain artistic or literary contexts where a more formal or poetic tone is desired. For example:

  • The archaeological site contained a treasure trove of artifacts amongst the ruins. 
  • The legal document listed a number of restrictions amongst the terms of the contract. 
  • The poet drew inspiration from the natural beauty amongst the rolling hills. 
Clear word-usage confusion with Paperpal’s accurate language suggestions. Try it now!

‘Among’ definition

“Among”, similar to amongst, is a preposition used to indicate that something is part of a larger group or collection. It is a more commonly used variant of “amongst” and is generally considered more appropriate for everyday language.  Here are some examples:

  • Among the top ten causes of death worldwide, heart disease is the leading cause. 
  • The study found that among the sample population, men were more likely to report higher levels of physical activity. 
  • The book was hidden among the pile of papers on the desk. 

‘Among’ meaning = ‘Amongst’ meaning

The meaning of “amongst” is the same as “among.” Both words refer to the idea of being in the middle of or surrounded by a group of people or things. For example,  

“The researcher was among the group of scientists working on the project.” 

Difference between ‘among’ and ‘amongst’ with examples

The primary difference between “among” and “amongst” is one of formality. “Among” is the more commonly used word, and it is considered more appropriate for use in everyday language. “Amongst,” on the other hand, is generally considered to be more formal or archaic. 

For example, a researcher might write: 

  • Among the participants in the study, 25% reported experiencing anxiety. 
  • Amongst the participants in the study, 25% reported experiencing anxiety. 

Both of these sentences are grammatically correct, but the first sentence is more commonly used in everyday language, while the second sentence may sound more formal. 

Pro-Tip: As a general rule, it is a good idea to use “among” unless you are specifically aiming for a more formal or archaic tone in your writing. In academic writing, for example, you may want to check with your professor or follow the guidelines of the journal you are submitting to regarding the use of “among” versus “amongst”. 

As a researcher, it is vital to know the nuanced usage of such words to convey your ideas accurately.

Get instant language and word-choice corrections. Try Paperpal for free now!

Wait, there are more such confusing words!

Just like among vs. amongst, there are many more words that are often a subject of ambiguity in researchers’ lives. Here’s a list if you might want to take a look: 

Week vs. weak 

Inter vs. intra 

Continually vs. continuously 

Adopt vs. adapt 

Ambiguous vs. ambivalent 

For those starting out with academic writing or authors with English as a second language, such word pairs can be confusing to get right. It’s important to have someone check your work before you submit to reduce your chances of desk rejection. You can also turn to trusted AI academic writing tools such as Paperpal, which is designed to take your academic writing to the next level and help you deliver clear, concise, and impactful text, every time. 

How Paperpal can transform your academic writing in minutes

Drafting high-quality, submission-ready academic writing requires a different skillset. That’s where Paperpal, a comprehensive AI academic writing assistant shines through, offering three times the language corrections of other standard grammar checkers online. 

  1. In-depth language & grammar check: Paperpal’s AI is trained on millions of language corrections by top editors, giving it a deep understanding of academic context. This helps it check for and correct:  
  • Spelling, punctuation and complex grammar mistakes. 
  • Word choice, with contextually relevant synonym suggestions.  
  • Sentence structure and appropriate academic tone. 
  • Consistency checks to ensure seamless error-free writing. 
  • Tailored suggestions for American or British English dialects. 
  1. Paraphrasing support: Paperpal’s Rewrite capabilities help you enhance sentence structures, add variety to your writing, and consistently deliver clear, impactful, authentic content in the right academic tone. 
  1. Word reduction: Eliminate redundancies and wordiness with Paperpal, which helps you shorten your text by up to 25% to meet strict journal word limitations. 
  1. Customized Editing Modes:  Paperpal is as flexible as your writing style. Depending on the support you need, you can choose from: 
  • Extensive: Comprehensive language editing and suggestions to enhance academic text from grammar to clarity improvement, vocabulary, sentence structure, and more. 
  • Essential: Polish your research work and get submission ready with a final grammar check and targeted language editing suggestions.  

Ready to elevate your academic writing? Simply upload your document or paste your text into Paperpal, and let its language suggestions work their magic. Start writing today for free. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster. 

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed. 

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free! 

You may also like

Your Paperpal Footer