ENGLISH
REFERENCE

in the midst of sth

prep. phr..
C1 Advanced Oxford

prep. phr.. to be in the middle of a busy or difficult situation. You use this when many things are happening around you at the same time.

prep. phr.. situated in the middle of an event, condition, or environment; often used to describe being surrounded by a state of chaos, activity, or transition.


SIMPLE

We are in the midst of a very busy week.

CONTEXTUAL

The country was in the midst of a political crisis when the new laws were announced.

COMPLEX

In the midst of the economic downturn, the company managed to secure a record-breaking contract that ensured its survival for the next decade.

Usage

usually followed by an abstract noun representing a process, event, or state of being.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'in the middle of'; while 'middle' is often physical, 'midst' is more literary and usually refers to being surrounded by circumstances or a crowd.

Pitfall

in midst of the stormin the midst of the stormthe definite article 'the' is required before 'midst' in this fixed phrase.

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