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
• join
• touch
• flank
• surround
• neighbor

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

Dozens of picnic tables are spread across a multi-acre garden surrounded by vegetable and flower beds abutting farm fields and meadows. —Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2025

Mayan stelae and Melanesian slit gongs share the sunlight from a sloped glass wall abutting Central Park which has been specially reëngineered to protect photosensitive works. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

The nearest properties abutting the project are 124 feet away from its development site, making any potential fires threatening to local property and safety, according to officials. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025

The Lodge abuts Snoqualmie Falls Park, which houses observation viewing areas for both the upper and lower falls, forested nature trails, a kayak and canoe launch, a coffee and gift shop, and a Hydroelectric Museum within its 12 leafy acres. —Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes.com, 20 June 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