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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb abet contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of abet are foment, incite, and instigate. While all these words mean "to spur to action," abet implies both assisting and encouraging.

aiding and abetting the enemy

When might foment be a better fit than abet?

The synonyms foment and abet are sometimes interchangeable, but foment implies persistence in goading.

fomenting rebellion

When can incite be used instead of abet?

The words incite and abet can be used in similar contexts, but incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

inciting a riot

In what contexts can instigate take the place of abet?

While in some cases nearly identical to abet, instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention.

instigated a conspiracy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abet In October, prosecutors charged Ong for abetting ex-transport minister S. Iswaran over two flights, a night’s stay at the Four Seasons hotel in Doha, along with Formula-1 tickets. Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 Related article California city criminalizes ‘aiding’ and ‘abetting’ homeless camps One-third of them were in families of at least one adult and one child, the annual survey found, as the number of families with kids experiencing homelessness rose by 39%. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025 Feeling somehow responsible, Wendy tries to abet the police search with her own investigating. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025 The result plays well moment-to-moment, much abetted by Nate Hurtsellers’ somberly handsome cinematography, plus a diverse, expressive original score from Macie Stewart and Quinn Tsan. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abet
Verb
  • Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House that the administration maintained confidence in Waltz and said the case was effectively closed, even as the breach provoked bipartisan criticism and opened up divisions inside the White House.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • As an abstraction and comparison machine, Pronouns provokes anxiety, getting at the dangers of correlation.
    Mara Mills, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Both artists earmarked the royalties from the song to aid the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention organization.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Apr. 2025
  • On Friday, Adams and Duffy went underground, boarding the BQE line in Brooklyn and riding the subway into Manhattan alongside NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta as the federal government vows to aid the city with its crime prevention.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But Schmitz says evidence from animal models suggests that physical activity triggers a series of chemical reactions in cells that promote health in multiple ways.
    Maria Godoy, NPR, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Specifically, short-chain fatty acids nourish the cells within your gut lining, promoting a healthy intestinal barrier and mucus production and lowering inflammation.
    Beth Krietsch, SELF, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee under states of emergency Ahead of the storms, several governors declared states of emergency to unlock funds and resources to assist in the preparation of the severe weather and eventual recovery effort.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The two rappers connected after Ye reached out to the Salt Lake City artist to assist him in getting in shape.
    Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • To bring in more visitors, Katsuo-ji came up with a creative way to encourage tourists to engage with the Daruma dolls.
    Rebecca Cairns, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Anyone with information is encouraged to call (410) 685-2022 or email [email protected] or [email protected].
    Glynis Kazanjian, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Federal programs enacted during the Biden Administration, like the Inflation Reduction Act, have helped boost the country’s advanced manufacturing footprint.
    Justin Worland, Time, 28 Mar. 2025
  • For example, whenever one of the kids had a spelling bee, everyone in the car would help recite the words.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abet. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on abet

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