abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

abutted; abutting

transitive verb

1

: to border on : to touch along an edge

Their property abuts our land.

2

: to cause to touch or lean for support

abut a timber against a post

intransitive verb

1

: to touch along a border or with a projecting part

a parcel of land that abuts on the road

2

a

: to terminate at a point of contact

b

: to lean for support

Synonyms

• adjoin
• border (on)
• butt (on or against)
• flank
• fringe
• join
• march (with)
• neighbor
• skirt
• touch
• verge (on)

Examples of abut in a Sentence

Their property and our property abut.

our land abuts a nature preserve, so we see a lot of wildlife

Recent Examples on the Web

The weather was less hospitable, with 60 mph wind gusts whipping up a dust cloud that obscured the Sandia mountains abutting the city and triggering a health alert for people with respiratory conditions. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

David Bear, president of the non-profit Save Rural Seminole, urged Oviedo and Sanford — whose borders either abut or are close to the county’s rural boundary — to send the missives. —Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025

Few other major population centers directly abut such dramatic topography. —Erin Alberty, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025

Between Trump's announcement and the first flight of migrants to the facility on Feb. 5, approximately 50 new structures were assembled near Leeward Point Field, a military airfield that directly abuts the inlet to Guantanamo Bay, according to satellite imagery reviewed by ABC News. —Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abutten, borrowed from Anglo-French abuter, from a-, verb-forming prefix (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + bout, but "push, thrust, blow, end, extremity," noun derivative from bouter, boter "to push, thrust, strike" — more at butt entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for abut

• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• haircut
• hindgut
• midgut
• precut
• rebut
• recut

Kids Definition

abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

abutted; abutting

: to touch along a border or with a part that sticks out

abutter noun

Legal Definition

abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

abutted; abutting

intransitive verb

: to touch along a border or with a projecting part

—used with on, upon, or against

the land abuts on the road

transitive verb

: to border on : reach or touch with an end

two lots that abut each other