aid

verb

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\ ˈād

aided; aiding; aids

Definition of aid

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

: to provide with what is useful or necessary in achieving an end aid a cause aid a friend

intransitive verb

: to give assistance research that aided in the discovery of a new drug

aid

noun

Definition of aid (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : the act of helping someone climbers in need of aid

b : help given : assistance providing aid and comfort specifically : tangible means of assistance (such as money or supplies) government aid

2a chiefly US : aide worked as a teacher's aid

b : something by which assistance is given : an assisting device an aid to understanding a visual aid — see hearing aid

3 : a subsidy granted to the king by the English parliament until the 18th century for an extraordinary purpose

4 : a tribute paid by a vassal to his lord

AID

abbreviation

Definition of AID (Entry 3 of 3)

1 Agency for International Development

2 artificial insemination by donor

Other Words from aid Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about aid

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Examples of aid in a Sentence

Verb They gave money in order to aid the cause. She aided them in their efforts. He jumped into the water to aid the drowning child. a home run that was aided by the wind She aided the government in the attempt to fight illiteracy. Noun The project was completed with the aid of several students. The work was done with the aid of a computer. The government has given millions of dollars in economic aid to these nations. She applied for financial aid in order to go to college. The diagram is provided as an aid to understanding. The computer is an aid to keeping costs down. He teaches art with visual aids.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb To aid in prevention, ecologists, naturalists, and others around the Great Lakes region have encouraged boaters to inspect their hulls and motors and thoroughly drain and dry water-holding compartments between outings. — Jessica Leigh Hester, Wired, "The Feds Want You to Destroy This Sneaky Mussel’s Hiding Spot," 27 Mar. 2021 Warmer and drier conditions could aid in boosting some of those numbers. — James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "Will Oregon baseball’s pitching silence Arizona’s Pac-12 leading offense?," 26 Mar. 2021 The influx of shots will aid the state’s efforts to stay a step ahead of the threat posed by emerging coronavirus variants. — Amina Khan Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "Coronavirus Today: At least 16? Hello, vaccine!," 25 Mar. 2021 The legislation, which provides $1.9 trillion in funding for stimulus payments, health care and other measures, will aid a majority of the 192,000 state residents who buy plans on Maryland’s health exchange or directly through an insurance company. — Meredith Cohn, baltimoresun.com, "Marylanders set to get extra help paying for health insurance," 18 Mar. 2021 Two of the lead authors of this study will aid in the effort to collect the samples that will be returned via the Mars Sample Return program in the early 2030s. — Julia Musto, Fox News, "New NASA study challenges beliefs about water on Mars," 18 Mar. 2021 Popular social media platforms can aid in nurturing interactions, sharing information and collaborating on international projects. — Expert Panel®, Forbes, "10 Global Challenges To Overcome In 2021," 17 Mar. 2021 The research could aid scientists studying whether babies could one day be grown outside wombs, which some say raises ethical concerns. — Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner, "Biologists successfully grow first mammalian embryos in artificial womb," 17 Mar. 2021 The move could also aid in the vaccination process when essential workers and then the general population are deemed eligible at some point this spring, lifting the number of people scrambling for shots by millions. — Adam Vaccaro, BostonGlobe.com, "Massachusetts announces vaccine preregistration system to ease appointment frenzy," 10 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Meanwhile, President Biden signed a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill on March 11 that included direct relief payments, an extension of unemployment benefits, aid for restaurants, and funding for vaccinations and testing. — BostonGlobe.com, "US hiring surge expected for March with more growth ahead," 31 Mar. 2021 Ukraine is on notice that greater Western aid and international loans are contingent on trimming back their influence. — Washington Post, "Ukraine wants to show Biden it’s serious about ending ‘oligarch era.’ That’s not so easy.," 29 Mar. 2021 Harris will similarly take the lead on outreach to Central American countries and Mexico in coordinating international aid and enforcement as well as working with Congress on the issue. — Tal Kopan, San Francisco Chronicle, "Kamala Harris tapped by Biden to lead border migration effort," 24 Mar. 2021 Edwards and lawmakers used $920 million in federal virus aid and other stopgap financing to piece together this year’s budget. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Tulips in bloom, Vegas bustling, Blackfeet Nation: News from around our 50 states," 24 Mar. 2021 Congress dickered and bickered as that initial multibillion-dollar dose of federal relief for business loans, jobless aid and food stamps was about to run dry. — The Salt Lake Tribune, "How Utah’s economy bounced back from COVID, and how much better it could get," 21 Mar. 2021 Richardson said Morgan State lacked equipment, dorms, financial aid and other resources necessary to run a high-quality university. — Pamela Wood, baltimoresun.com, "‘A new beginning’: 15-year legal journey to boost historically Black universities enters final stage," 19 Mar. 2021 Say Yes to Education fills the gap between financial aid and cost of tuition for Cleveland schools graduates. — Emily Bamforth, cleveland, "Cleveland State University trustees extend President Harlan Sands’ contract until 2026," 18 Mar. 2021 One important way to shift this dynamic is to end the tax breaks, government investment, overseas aid and subsidies — some of which the public is paying — that keep coal on life support. — CNN, "Bloomberg and Timmermans: Ending global coal subsidies will save lives," 18 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

2 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Aid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aid. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for aid

aid

verb

\ ˈād

aided; aiding

Kids Definition of aid

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to provide what is useful or necessary : help “… might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?”— J. K. Rowling, Goblet of Fire

aid

noun

Kids Definition of aid (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act of helping

2 : help given The teacher sought the aid of several students for the project.

3 : someone or something that is of help or assistance The compass is an aid to navigation.

aid

noun

\ ˈād

Medical Definition of aid

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the act of helping or treating also : the help or treatment given in need of immediate medical aid

2 : an assisting person or group a laboratory aid — compare aide

3 : something by which assistance is given : an assisting device a visual aid especially : hearing aid

AID

abbreviation

Medical Definition of AID (Entry 2 of 2)

artificial insemination by donor

aid

transitive verb

Legal Definition of aid

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to provide with what is useful in achieving an end conspiracy to counsel or aid draft resisters— K. A. Cohen —often used in the phrase aid and abet — see also abet

intransitive verb

: to be of use aided in the commission of the crime

aid

noun

Legal Definition of aid (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act of aiding render aid to the principal