Between | Definition & Part of Speech
The word between is a preposition that can indicate locations (i.e., as a preposition of place), times, and amounts, as well as relationships or involvement.
They’re building a high-speed rail link between the two cities.
We’re closed between 12 and 1 p.m.
There’s a flat rate for shipments that weigh between 20 and 50 pounds.
The goal is to build new partnerships between the university and local businesses.
Between definition
Between often indicates a location, time, or amount in relation to two other locations, times, or amounts.
I’ll give you a call between 1 and 2 p.m. [During a time period separated by two other times]
The flights will cost between $300 and $500. [An amount in a range defined by two other amounts]
Between can also indicate the different groups or individuals who are involved in or connected with something.
The Hundred Years’ War was between England and France.
The nature of the strategic partnership between the two companies is unclear.
You can use between to refer to the objects of a comparison or alternatives.
She sent us a list of hotels to choose between.
Between can mean “linking” or “connecting,” especially in the context of transport infrastructure.
There’s construction work on the interstate between Denver and Colorado Springs.
Is between a preposition?
The word between typically functions as a preposition, where the object of the preposition is often a compound consisting of two nouns (e.g., “It’s a choice between flying or driving”).
Is between an adverb?
Between is rarely used as an adverb in modern English—its adverbial equivalent is usually in between.
Now put the tulips in between.
Frequently asked questions about between
- What are synonyms for between?
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Between has a few (near) synonyms, such as:
- In the time separating
- Betwixt
- In the space separating
- In the middle of
You can find other synonyms for “between” with our paraphraser tool.
- Is it between you and I or me?
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It is between you and me, not between you and I.
“Between you and me” is considered grammatically correct because you need the object pronoun “me” after a preposition (“between” is a preposition, and “I” is the first-person singular subject pronoun).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use object and subject pronouns correctly in your writing.
- What does between a rock and a hard place mean?
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The idiom between a rock and a hard place means “in a very difficult situation” and is used in situations where you have to choose between unpleasant alternatives (e.g., “I’m caught between a rock and a hard place—if I don’t tell my boss, I could lose my job, but if I do, I’ll be betraying my coworkers”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use idioms like “between a rock and a hard place” naturally in your writing.
- How do you spell between?
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The word between is spelled with one “t” and double “ee” in the second syllable.
You can’t always use “between” interchangeably with “in between.”
Why not check your texts for typos with QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker?
- What part of speech is between?
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The part of speech of the word between is typically a preposition in modern English (e.g., “I’ll call you between meetings”).
We generally prefer to use “in between” as the adverb (e.g., “I have appointments all morning, but I could give you a quick call in between”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use “between” and “in between” correctly in your writing.
