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Contemporary Examples

amidst “all of this pinning and mapping,” Ben confesses to dread and hopelessness.
Jonathan Evison’s On the Road: ‘The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving’ Kevin Canfield September 13, 2012

Recruiting agents from amidst our rivals is the “the Alpha and Beta of espionage,” says Weiner.
The CIA Tried Hard to Recruit Spies Among the Al Qaeda Prisoners at Gitmo Daniel Klaidman November 27, 2013

Serdykuov was quietly “amnestied” last week, amidst the global fixation on events in Ukraine.
Moscow’s Long, Corrupt Money Trail Michael Weiss March 21, 2014

amidst the fighting, Gaddafi urged Libyans to “destroy” the rebels in a statement broadcast on Arab radio stations.
Latest in Libya: Complete Coverage The Daily Beast August 26, 2011

amidst all of this build-up around the royal wedding, a note of hypocrisy was struck in recent days.
Meet Kate Middleton’s Parents, Carole and Michael Harry Cole March 23, 2011

Historical Examples

He had been courteous also to Lopez, and Emily, amidst the pleasure of his welcome, had forgotten some of her troubles.
The Prime Minister Anthony Trollope

Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding David Hume

Beneath the mature wisdom of the Pope, amidst the ashes of old age, there sleeps the same fire.
Browning as a Philosophical and Religious Teacher Henry Jones

It was taken leisurely, amidst much pleasant, social converse.
The Channings Mrs. Henry Wood

The misguided but injured Queen Caroline landed in England in 1820, amidst the shoutings of the populace.
Sketches of Reforms and Reformers, of Great Britain and Ireland Henry B. Stanton

prep.

a variant of amid (q.v.) with adverbial genitive -s and parasitic -t. Amidde became amyddes (13c.) and acquired a -t by 1560s, probably by association with superlatives in -st.

There is a tendency to use amidst more distributively than amid, e.g. of things scattered about, or a thing moving, in the midst of others. [OED]