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Definition of abet

abet

/əˈbɛt/
a · bet
Past Simple:abetted
•
Past Participle:abetted
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Present Participle:abetting
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abet Lexical Profile

abet Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To encourage, support, or assist someone in committing an offense or wrongdoing (especially a crime).

Example

"The prosecutor charged the accountant with conspiring to abet the corporate fraud."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for abet
Antonyms
View all antonyms for abet

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'aid' and 'assist' are neutral or positive, 'abet' almost exclusively carries a negative or legal connotation of encouraging wrongdoing, most notably in the fixed legal phrase 'aid and abet'.

• Rhymes for abet

• Nearby Words

aberdeen
aberrant
aberrational
abet
abhor
abhorrent
abhorrently

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Old French 'abeter' ('to bait or harass with hounds'), formed from 'a-' ('to') and 'beter' ('to bait'), which itself derives from Old Norse 'beita' ('to cause to bite').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Abet. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/abet
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