Day #16: Today’s random pet peeve

Has anyone else noted the overuse of the word “amid“ in newspaper headlines?

For some reason, I started noticing this a few weeks ago, and now that I have, it’s driving me bonkers.

Here are some examples from the past 24 hours, from national and international media:

China’s Xiaomi bets bigger on India retail stores amid Samsung rivalry – 39 minutes ago, Reuters

Canada wildfires: Second firefighter dies amid record blazes – 57 minutes ago, BBC News

5 dead amid flooding in Pennsylvania, with 2 children reported missing, officials say – 2 hours ago, ABC News

China seeks to gain ‘foothold’ on America’s doorstep amid border crisis, top Republican warns – 7 hours, Fox News

Alabama rushes to adopt new congressional map amid disagreement on what district should look like – 8 hours ago, AP News

Aliyah dips in West, surges in Russia amid Ukraine conflict – 12 hours ago, The Jerusalem Post

When life gives you cancer: Upper Arlington teen publishes book amid eighth diagnosis – 14 hours ago, The Columbus Dispatch

Countering overheating in Europe’s major cities amid a heat wave – 16 hours ago, CNN

DeSantis campaign sheds staff amid cash crunch – 23 hours ago, Politico

US to send F-16 fighter jets to Gulf amid Iran shipping tensions – 1 day ago, Al Jazeera

And even: Taylor Swift votes in her Nashville election amid Eras tour – 1 day ago, TMZ

Amid means surrounded by, in the middle of, among, at a time of, during.

I understand that when it comes to headlines, the editor is trying to be brief and fit the idea – and the word – into a certain space. But it just seems too easy, or care-less, a fast fix, to use this particular word over and over and over again. It’s easy enough to find synonyms for the word, for heaven’s sake.

Amid is not like the word “in” or “with.” It isn’t typically a word used in conversation. Amid draws attention to itself. Otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed its overuse. Once you look for it, you, too, will see it everywhere.

Puhlease, media, use a different word. Change it up.

Rant over.

For more about “amid,” click here.