The phrase “among others” is a common English expression used when you mention some people or things from a larger group without listing everyone. It usually means “including other people or things not specifically mentioned.” For example, if you say, “She speaks French and Spanish, among others,” you are saying that she speaks French and Spanish as well as additional languages. The phrase is useful because it lets you give a few examples without creating a complete list.
“Among others” is especially common in formal, academic, professional, and everyday English. It can refer to people, organizations, ideas, places, subjects, or other things. Although its meaning is simple, learners sometimes wonder where to place it in a sentence and whether it means the same thing as “among other things” or “and others.” Understanding these small differences can help you use the expression naturally and accurately.
Quick Answer
“Among others” means “including other people or things that have not been specifically mentioned.” It is used after mentioning one or more examples when you want to show that the list is not complete.
Example:
She has worked with Google, Microsoft, and Apple, among others.
This means she has worked with those companies and other companies as well.
Why Do People Use “Among Others”?
People use “among others” to avoid listing every member of a larger group.
Instead of saying:
John, Sarah, Michael, David, Emily, James, and several other people attended the meeting.
You can say:
John, Sarah, and Michael attended the meeting, among others.
The phrase makes it clear that the examples you mentioned are not exhaustive.
It is particularly useful when:
- You want to mention only a few examples.
- The complete list is long.
- The remaining examples are not important to the point.
- You want your writing to sound concise.
- You are referring to several people or organizations.
What Does “Among Others” Mean?
The basic meaning of “among others” is:
Including other people or things in addition to those already mentioned.
Consider this sentence:
The conference attracted politicians, journalists, and academics, among others.
The sentence does not mean that only politicians, journalists, and academics attended. It tells us that other types of people attended too.
Simple formula
Examples + among others = examples + additional unmentioned examples
For instance:
She enjoys reading novels, biographies, and poetry, among others.
Meaning:
She enjoys these things and other types of literature as well.
“Among Others” for People
“Among others” is frequently used when referring to people.
Examples
- The event was attended by several famous actors, among others.
- She has worked with doctors, teachers, and engineers, among others.
- The committee included John and Sarah, among others.
- Many celebrities, among others, supported the campaign.
- The meeting was attended by managers, directors, and executives, among others.
In each example, the phrase indicates that more people were involved than those specifically named.
“Among Others” for Things
Although “among others” is often used for people, it can also refer to things.
For example:
The store sells laptops, tablets, and smartphones, among others.
This means the store sells those products as well as other products.
Other examples:
- The course covers grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, among others.
- The museum displays paintings, sculptures, and photographs, among others.
- The company produces cars, trucks, and motorcycles, among others.
Among Others vs. Among Other Things
These expressions are closely related, but there is a small difference in typical usage.
Among others
“Among others” can refer to people or things.
The committee included teachers, students, and parents, among others.
Among other things
“Among other things” is usually used when discussing activities, subjects, facts, or things someone did, said, considered, or experienced.
We discussed the budget and staffing problems, among other things.
This means the discussion included those subjects and other subjects as well.
Comparison
| Expression | Typical meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Among others | Including other people or things | She has worked with Google and Apple, among others. |
| Among other things | Including other matters or subjects | We discussed salaries and working conditions, among other things. |
| And others | And additional people or things | John, Sarah, and others attended. |
| Et al. | And other people, usually in formal citations | Smith et al. published the study. |
Among Others vs. And Others
These phrases are similar, but they are not always interchangeable.
Among others
She has visited France and Italy, among others.
This emphasizes that France and Italy are examples from a larger group.
And others
She has visited France, Italy, and others.
This is possible in some contexts, but it can sound less natural when referring to places. Usually, “among others” or “and other countries” would be clearer.
For people, however:
John, Sarah, and others attended.
is completely natural.
When to Use “Among Others”
Use “among others” when you want to show that the examples you have given are only part of a larger group.
1. When listing people
Several scientists, among others, participated in the project.
2. When listing organizations
The company has partnerships with IBM, Google, and Microsoft, among others.
3. When listing subjects or topics
The course covers grammar, syntax, and semantics, among others.
4. When avoiding a long list
The country exports oil, machinery, and textiles, among others.
5. In formal writing
The report identifies several causes, including inflation and unemployment, among others.
12 Examples of “Among Others”
- She speaks English, French, and German, among others.
- Several famous writers, among others, attended the literary festival.
- The company works with Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, among others.
- The course covers grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, among others.
- He has visited France, Spain, and Italy, among others.
- The committee included teachers, parents, and students, among others.
- The museum contains paintings by Picasso and Monet, among others.
- The program teaches mathematics, science, and computer programming, among others.
- Several factors, including cost and convenience, among others, influenced the decision.
- The store sells shoes, jackets, and accessories, among others.
- Many professionals, including lawyers and accountants, among others, attended the conference.
- The company has offices in London, Paris and Berlin, among others.
Common Mistakes With “Among Others”
Mistake 1: Treating it as a complete list
Incorrect interpretation:
Sarah, John, and David attended, among others.
This does not necessarily mean only those three attended.
It means Sarah, John, and David attended along with additional people.
Mistake 2: Using “among other” without a noun
She speaks French and Spanish, among other.
This is incorrect.
Use:
She speaks French and Spanish, among others.
Or:
She speaks French and Spanish, among other languages.
Mistake 3: Confusing it with “among other things”
He has worked with teachers, doctors and engineers, among other things.
This sounds incorrect if you mean people, because teachers, doctors, and engineers are people.
Better:
He has worked with teachers, doctors and engineers, among others.
Use “among other things” when referring to matters, activities, or subjects.
Mistake 4: Assuming “among others” always refers to people
It can refer to things too:
The store sells furniture, electronics, and clothing, among others.
Memory Trick
Remember:
Among others = “these are examples, but there are more.”
If you can add “and others not mentioned” to the sentence without changing the meaning, “among others” probably works.
For example:
She speaks Spanish and French, among others.
Think:
She speaks Spanish and French and other languages too.
American vs British English
“Among others” is standard in both American and British English.
There is no major difference in grammar or meaning between the two varieties.
You can naturally use it in:
- American English
- British English
- Canadian English
- Australian English
- International English
The expression is especially common in formal and professional writing, but it is also perfectly natural in everyday conversation.
Similar Expressions
Depending on the context, you can replace “among others” with several expressions.
Including others
The event attracted writers, journalists and others.
And other people
She met several politicians and other people at the event.
Among other things
We discussed the budget and staffing issues, among other things.
And so on
She studies history, literature, philosophy and so on.
For example
Several countries, for example, France and Germany, participated.
However, these expressions are not always exact substitutes. “Among others” specifically communicates that the examples mentioned are part of a larger group.
FAQs About “Among Others”
What does “among others” mean?
“Among others” means including other people or things that have not been specifically mentioned. It is used when the examples given are part of a larger group.
Is “among others” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Among others” is grammatically correct and widely used in both formal and informal English.
What is another way to say “among others”?
Depending on the context, you can say “and others,” “including others,” “and other people,” “and other things,” or “among other things.”
Does “among others” mean “and others”?
They can have similar meanings, but “among others” emphasizes that the named examples are members of a larger group.
Can “among others” refer to things?
Yes. It can refer to people or things.
The company sells phones, computers, and tablets, among others.
What is the difference between “among others” and “among other things”?
“Among others” can refer to people or things, while “among other things” is commonly used for subjects, matters, activities, or facts.
Is “among others” formal?
It is neutral to somewhat formal and is especially common in academic, business, legal, and professional writing. It is also understandable in everyday speech.
Final Verdict
“Among others” means “including other people or things besides those specifically mentioned.” It is a useful expression for showing that a list is incomplete without having to name every example.
For example:
The company works with Apple, Google, and Microsoft, among others.
This tells the reader that Apple, Google, and Microsoft are only some of the company’s partners.
Remember This
Among others = examples mentioned + additional examples not mentioned.
If you mean people or things in a larger group, “among others” is usually the right choice. If you mean additional matters or subjects, consider “among other things.”
Conclusion
The phrase “among others” is simple but extremely useful in English. It allows you to mention a few representative examples while making it clear that the list continues beyond what you have stated. You can use it for people, organizations, products, subjects, places and many other categories.
The easiest way to remember its meaning is “including others as well.” Once you understand that idea, using “among others” becomes straightforward. Just make sure you do not mistake it for a complete list and use “among other things” when you are specifically talking about additional matters, activities or subjects.
