1
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the belief that violent entertainment abets violent behavior in the people who partake of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
car thieves are often unwittingly abetted by owners foolishly leaving the keys in the ignition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abet
Becton declined to charge Jones’ mother with any crime tied to that shooting despite a demand from Gabe’s family to file aiding and abetting charges against Alicia Coleman Clark.
—
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025
Those targeted included legal counsel – a grim reminder of the long reach of Florida’s aiding and abetting provisions.
—Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Fremont has responded to such criticisms by noting that other cities with camping bans also have general language in their municipal codes prohibiting the aiding and abetting of any criminal violation.
—Kyle Martin, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2025
Unscrupulous employers, sometimes abetted by state regulators looking the other way, haven’t ceased trying to circumvent the rules.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abet
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025
Those targeted included legal counsel – a grim reminder of the long reach of Florida’s aiding and abetting provisions.
—Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Fremont has responded to such criticisms by noting that other cities with camping bans also have general language in their municipal codes prohibiting the aiding and abetting of any criminal violation.
—Kyle Martin, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2025
Unscrupulous employers, sometimes abetted by state regulators looking the other way, haven’t ceased trying to circumvent the rules.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abet
Verb
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But if Washington follows a few principles, such improvements will not necessarily provoke Chinese aggression.—
Oriana Skylar Mastro,
Foreign Affairs,
20 May 2025
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Doctors gave her Pitocin, a medication used to provoke contractions, and a Foley balloon, which is a catheter-like device that gets the cervix to dilate.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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She was aided on the DeLeon groundout by a spectacular play by Karlie Davison at second base, who laid out to field the ball and made a strong throw to beat the runner to first.—
Ethan Westerman,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
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Fire crews on the ground were being aided by aircraft.—
Kristina Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
Verb
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The Royals promoted Caglianone to Triple-A Omaha a week ago — Sunday, May 18.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2025
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To take Bregman’s place on the roster, the Red Sox promoted top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer, who started at third base and batted sixth in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
25 May 2025
Verb
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At first, caring for her mom meant reminding her to turn off the stove after cooking and assisting with the laundry.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Indiana leads the postseason in 2-point shooting (56.5 percent), 3-point shooting (40.6 percent) and assisted buckets (29.7 per game).—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
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There is no fee to nominate and self-nominations are encouraged.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
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Both trains offer luxury journeys that encourage passengers to partake in the joys of slow travel.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
25 May 2025
Verb
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As the Hall of Fame notes, the group was heavily influenced by Black musician Lesley Riddle, who helped A.P. with songs and taught Maybelle his guitar style.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
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As Outside previously reported, this kind of movement helps improve blood flow, increase heart rate, and improve coordination and control.—
Alyssa Ages,
Outside Online,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abet. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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