assist
verb
\
Definition of assist
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to give usually supplementary support or aid to She assisted the boy with his lessons.
1 : to give support or aid assisted at the stove Another surgeon assisted on the operation.
2 : to be present as a spectator … the ideal figures assisting at Italian holy scenes. —Mary McCarthy
assist
nounDefinition of assist (Entry 2 of 2)
1 US : an act or action that helps someone : an act of assistance He wrote the story with an assist from a friend. [=with the help of a friend]
2 : the action (such as a throw or pass) of a player who enables a teammate to make a putout (as in baseball) or score a goal (as in basketball or hockey) also : official credit given for such an action was credited with 5 assists in the first half
3 : a mechanical or electromechanical device that provides assistance
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Synonyms & Antonyms for assist
Synonyms: Verb
abet, aid, back, backstop, help, prop (up), support
Synonyms: Noun
abetment, aid, assistance, backing, boost, hand, help, helping hand, leg up, lift, support
Antonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Noun
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Examples of assist in a Sentence
Verb
The device assists those who can't climb stairs. The President was assisted by his advisers. She assisted the boy with his homework. Another doctor assisted him with the operation. Another doctor assisted with the operation. Federal agents are assisting with the investigation. She assisted in making the decision. The cream assists in the prevention of skin cancer.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Since 1997, the Soroptimists have assisted 56 mothers and 125 children. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, Pomerado News, "Ginny Brown is leading North San Diego Soroptimists," 13 July 2018 The Howard County Police Department’s Warrant and Fugitive Unit assisted with Harris’s arrest. — Jess Nocera, Laurel Leader, "Laurel man arrested on first- and second-degree murder charges," 11 July 2018 Too Retinoids indirectly assist with hyperpigmentation — darkened spots on the skin caused by acne or general aging. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Is This Vitamin the Secret to Smooth Skin?," 10 July 2018 Batum’s key statistics were all down last season, in points (11.6), assists (5.5) and rebounds(3.8). — Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Tony Parker wants to protect 'little brother,' playoff streak with Hornets in 2018-19," 9 July 2018 Ramona High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets Cody Glazewski and Michael Grato assisted Huff at the Baca ceremony. — Ramona Sentinel, "Quilts of Valor go to two Ramona veterans," 5 July 2018 Interns, volunteers and more avid fishermen can assist with line and tackle and retrieval of the fish. — Sheryl Devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Give fishing a try at annual Gurnee event," 3 July 2018 Young was saluted for 25 years of service to Advocate Medical Group West for his work as a Helping Hands volunteer, a group sponsored by Advocate that provides information, assists patients with wheelchairs and performs other non-clinical tasks. — David Sharos, Aurora Beacon-News, "For North Aurora volunteer, helping others comes naturally," 30 June 2018 Hickory Hills police said they were assisted in the investigation by South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. — Mike Nolan, Daily Southtown, "Hickory Hills man accused of killing wife, setting home on fire found in Michigan with bloody clothes, burned legs: police," 5 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Brunson matched Arcidiacono with seven assists but continued his shooting struggles with a 2-for-9 night, both 3-pointers. — K.c. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Ex-teammates Jalen Brunson and Ryan Arcidiacono square off in NBA Summer League while dismissing their doubters," 11 July 2018 The Pride boasts one of the of the best offenses in the NWSL, as the team ranks in the top half of the league in goals and second in assists. — Parth Upadhyaya, Houston Chronicle, "Dash look to break season series tie with Orlando Pride," 11 July 2018 The joint leaders in assists are a 23-year-old Argentinian and a 26-year-old Honduran, respectively. — Patrick Brennan, Cincinnati.com, "Why FC Cincinnati will target South, Central America for building MLS roster," 10 July 2018 Former KU point guard Frank Mason scored 7 points with five assists and four turnovers in 28 minutes for Sacramento. — Gary Bedore, kansascity, "Blue-chip point guard cuts list to KU, eight others; Self speaks on NBA broadcast," 9 July 2018 Ellenson finished with seven assists, six turnovers and two steals in 26 minutes. — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press, "Henry Ellenson breaks slump in Detroit Pistons summer league win 105-97," 9 July 2018 More: Fever fall short against Sun after giving up a fourth quarter run Pondexter is the fourth-leading scorer in WNBA history and ranks sixth in assists and free throws made. — Jordan Guskey, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana Fever add two-time WNBA champion Cappie Pondexter," 1 July 2018 Lillard has been with the Trail Blazers for his entire NBA career, and averaged 26.9 points with 6.6 assists a game, according to Bleacher Report. — Natalie Dreier, ajc, "Damian Lillard skips NBA Awards show, hands out free shoes to fans," 27 June 2018 Blais, only playing in 42 games, was second in points with 40 but led the team in assists with 23. — Jerry Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio’s pro sports scene features Spurs, Rampage, San Antonio FC, Missions," 11 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for assist
assist
verb
English Language Learners Definition of assist
: to give support or help : to make it easier for someone to do something or for something to happen
See the full definition for assist in the English Language Learners Dictionary
assist
verb
\
Kids Definition of assist
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to give support or help He assisted his mother in preparing dinner.
assist
nounKids Definition of assist (Entry 2 of 2)
: an act of supporting or helping I finished my chores with an assist from my friends.
assist
transitive verb
\
Medical Definition of assist
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to give usually supplementary support or aid to assist the patient up the stairs assist respiration mechanically
: to give support or aid
assist
nounMedical Definition of assist (Entry 2 of 2)
: an act or procedure that provides assistance external pressure circulatory assist employs compression of the lower extremities —P. W. Wright
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