midst

noun

ˈmidst 

ˈmitst

1

: the interior or central part or point : middle

in the midst of the forest

2

: a position of proximity to the members of a group

a traitor in our midst

3

: the condition of being surrounded or beset

in the midst of his troubles

4

: a period of time about the middle of a continuing act or condition

in the midst of a meal

midst preposition

Synonyms of midst

• middle
• center

Examples of midst in a Sentence

The river passes through the midst of the city.

a bustling city in the midst of the desert

We are in the midst of a terrible war.

They were in the midst of remodeling their house.

The region is currently in the midst of a terrible drought.

We never gave up hope in the midst of our troubles.

Recent Examples on the Web

When the researchers silenced the somatostatin neurons, the mice stopped trying so hard to avoid the threatening odor in their midst. — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

O'Neill took the helm of Lululemon last month after the athleisure company saw more than a year of disappointing sales performance in the midst of a proxy battle, drawing criticism from founder Chip Wilson. — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

The band is in the midst of a sprawling European tour supporting Suffocation, with headline dates around the corner. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026

But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English middest, alteration of middes, short for amiddes amid

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing midst

• in someone's midst

Rhymes for midst

• amidst

Kids Definition

midst

1 of 2 noun

ˈmidst

1

: the middle part or period

in the midst of the forest

2

: a condition of being near or among the members of a group

a traitor in our midst

3

: the condition of being surrounded

in the midst of our troubles

midst

2 of 2 preposition

(ˌ)midst

: amid