aid

verb

Save Word

\ 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 Phrases Containing aid Learn More About aid

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie Lam promoted Lee to secretary for security — a move that set him on a trajectory to enforce and aid Beijing’s goals to rein in Hong Kong when protests erupted. — Washington Post, 8 May 2022 Roads that were safe to travel six months ago are lined with explosives and the United Nations had only one helicopter until recently to transport people and aid across the country. — Sam Mednick, ajc, 8 May 2022 Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, aid the ability to sleep well and improve immune function. — oregonlive, 6 May 2022 The usual answer is that all sentient AI will be in cahoots and would not aid our quest. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 5 May 2022 According to the report, six scooper planes and eight helicopters will continue air operations to slow the rate of fire spread and aid firefighters on the ground. — Hannah Sarisohn And Theresa Waldrop, CNN, 1 May 2022 His duty as a corrections officer was to oversee and aid the inmates. — Kaylee Remington, cleveland, 14 Apr. 2022 The measures passed on Thursday were the first stand-alone bills intended to punish Moscow or aid Kyiv that Congress has sent to Mr. Biden’s desk in the more than 40 days since Russia’s invasion. — New York Times, 7 Apr. 2022 But the Cardinal is not talked about enough defensively, where its length has the ability to bother opponents on every single shot (and aid in getting almost every defensive rebound). — Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun However, some countries in the 27-nation bloc have shied away from giving the value of their Ukraine aid, particularly for arms supplies. — NBC News, 18 May 2022 The Legislature in November set aside $150 million in federal coronavirus aid to help construct such a trans-state pipeline for natural gas, which is a byproduct of oil production. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 18 May 2022 An exclusive clip from the series' premiere showcases Will acting as a literal shepherd to a flock, trying to free a sheep caught in the marsh — as Cora comes to his aid. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 May 2022 That’s about $6 billion more than the U.S. spent on all its foreign and military aid in 2019, according to a January report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which studies issues for lawmakers. — Alan Fram, ajc, 11 May 2022 This certainly was Russian president Vladimir Putin’s intent: to strike fear into the European countries that are upping their economic and military aid to Ukraine and, in the same stroke, drive a wedge into the Western alliance. — Paul Hockenos For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 5 May 2022 Cleveland City Council last year set aside $20 million of its own federal aid for broadband within the city’s borders. — Lucas Daprile, cleveland, 22 Apr. 2022 Nine children and three adults ended up in the water after a boat capsized near the Palm Beach Inlet Saturday, and a man died trying to come to their aid, police said. — Wells Dusenbury, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2022 Victims of aggression often give off defensive calls that entice raven audience members to come to their aid. — Lee Alan Dugatkin, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2022 See More

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.

Learn More About aid

Dictionary Entries Near aid

AICPA

aid

AID

Statistics for aid

Last Updated

20 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Aid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aid. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

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, Harry Potter and the 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