1
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the belief that violent entertainment abets violent behavior in the people who partake of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to aid
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
car thieves are often unwittingly abetted by owners foolishly leaving the keys in the ignition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of abet
There’s a terrible host, and great movies like Life of Pi, Zero Dark Thirty, Amour, and Beasts of the Southern Wild are beaten out by Argo, a movie about a trivial sidelight to a geopolitical tragedy abetted by the United States for decades.
—
Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Being successful in America, according to Part II, inherently means becoming the bad guy, and Francis Ford Coppola mourns that fact, abetted by arguably Pacino’s finest, most sorrowful performance as a man who sells every bit of his soul to maintain his power.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
This, too, is abetted by supporters — critics would deride them as useful idiots — who downplay or else rationalize questionable decision-making as five-dimensional chess.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
For the small-scale paintings, being mysterious and also chic are only abetting sales.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abet
Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Being successful in America, according to Part II, inherently means becoming the bad guy, and Francis Ford Coppola mourns that fact, abetted by arguably Pacino’s finest, most sorrowful performance as a man who sells every bit of his soul to maintain his power.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
This, too, is abetted by supporters — critics would deride them as useful idiots — who downplay or else rationalize questionable decision-making as five-dimensional chess.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
For the small-scale paintings, being mysterious and also chic are only abetting sales.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abet
Verb
-
These tales were layered, open to interpretation, and meant to provoke reflection and herein lies their enduring power.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Trump’s comments have provoked a strong reaction, including boycotts on U.S. goods and protests.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This event united golfers, sponsors, donors, vendors and volunteers to aid families facing financial and emotional hardships caring for a critically ill child — some of which include homelessness, hunger and depression.—
Sharon Hlapcich,
Oc Register,
1 May 2025
-
Nearly every element of the federal student aid system, from grants to aid disbursement to repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs, would be impacted if the plan is enacted.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Among the cuts this year to the permanent employees were 200 probationary staff, dismissed because they had been either recently hired or recently promoted.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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Sleep and exercise are essential for maintaining energy levels and promoting overall health.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
1 May 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration first designated the Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization in 2021, but the designation was revoked by Democratic President Joe Biden, largely to assist with Yemen's humanitarian crisis, often described as one of the worst in the world.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2025
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Those would be similar to those in NATO’s Article 5, under which all members are obliged to assist an attacked nation.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Valencia said the seeds encourage rodents to enter the stadium and that the machines required to clean up the shells were causing noise pollution for those living close to their Mestalla stadium.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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During the Obama administration, beginning in 2009 and culminating with major rule expansions in 2012, changes to federal economy regulations inadvertently encouraged automakers to build bigger, heavier vehicles instead of lighter, more efficient ones.—
Chadwick Hagan,
National Review,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Bucky is helping Yelena lead the team, which is apparently now locked in a copyright battle with Sam Wilson, who seems to want to start his own non-governmental Avengers squad.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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Hours after the alleged murder, the FBI helped find and arrest the men.—
Alexandra Koch , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
4 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abet. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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