abet

verb

ə-ˈbet 

abetted; abetting

transitive verb

1

: to actively second and encourage (something, such as an activity or plan)

abet the commission of a crime

2

: to assist or support (someone) in the achievement of a purpose

The singer was abetted by a skillful accompanist.

especially : to assist, encourage, instigate, or support with criminal intent in attempting or carrying out a crime

—often used in the phrase aid and abet

accused of aiding and abetting a criminal

abetment

ə-ˈbet-mənt 

noun

abettor noun

or less commonly abetter

ə-ˈbe-tər 

Synonyms

• brew
• ferment
• foment
• incite
• instigate
• pick
• provoke
• raise
• stir (up)
• whip (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for abet

incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action.

incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

inciting a riot

instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention.

instigated a conspiracy

abet implies both assisting and encouraging.

aiding and abetting the enemy

foment implies persistence in goading.

fomenting rebellion

Examples of abet in a Sentence

She abetted the thief in his getaway.

Did he abet the commission of a crime?

Their actions were shown to abet terrorism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond isolating and punishing its inmates, the gulag abetted Stalin’s ambitious modernization goals. —Alan Barenberg, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

In recent months, China has begun strong-arming both the Myanmar government and rebel groups that abet the gangs into cracking down on scam centers. —TIME, 21 Mar. 2024

Officials point to prosecutions in the United States for abetting violence. —Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024

Perhaps' one of their most significant wins was halting funding for UNRWA, a United Nations relief agency that is providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza after Israel's allegations that 12 of the agency's staffers abetted Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. —Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024

Police are separately investigating five senior members of the Korean Medical Association, which represents doctors in South Korea, for allegedly inciting and abetting the strikes. —Hyung-Jin Kim, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024

The allegations raise new questions about how strictly social media platforms should vet users — after the Supreme Court ruled just last year that the platform formerly known as Twitter was not responsible for abetting a terrorist attack. —Adi Robertson, The Verge, 14 Feb. 2024

Did Trump engage in insurrection by plotting to overturn the 2020 election or by riling up a mob on January 6 and then abetting their destruction? —Thomas A. Berry, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024

Romano’s book is designed to abet a case for the Voice as a kind of nexus of twentieth-century incident, and most chapters offer an inside history of familiar events. —Michelle Orange, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abetten, borrowed from Anglo-French abeter, from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + beter "to harass (a bear with dogs), bait," borrowed from Old Low Franconian *bētan; akin to Old English bǣtan "to set upon (with animals), bait" — more at bait entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

abet

verb

ə-ˈbet 

abetted; abetting

: to actively encourage or aid

abetment

-mənt 

noun

abettor noun

also abetter

-ˈbet-ər 

Legal Definition

abet

transitive verb

ə-ˈbet 

abetted; abetting

: to assist, encourage, instigate, or support with criminal intent in attempting or carrying out a crime

—often used in the phrase aid and abet

abetment noun

abettor noun

also abetter

ə-ˈbe-tər