as in assisting
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1
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the belief that violent entertainment abets violent behavior in the people who partake of it
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2
as in aiding
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abetting
Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
There is a painful irony in this reversal of national fortunes, best illustrated by the current running joke in Brazil that the White House has opened a US embassy on American soil, a nod to the US government’s nefarious history of abetting authoritarianism in Brazil.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
This included prominent businessmen, landowners, poets, novelists, and local officials who were detested for abetting Japanese rule.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Special prosecutors investigating the country’s martial law crisis also indicted on Friday former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who was appointed by Yoon on charges of abetting insurrection and committing perjury, a prosecution spokesperson said.
—CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been spared a jail sentence after pleading guilty to abetting a senior Singapore politician in obstructing the course of justice in a rare gifting scandal in the city-state known for its squeaky clean image.
—Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
For the small-scale paintings, being mysterious and also chic are only abetting sales.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The aiding-and-abetting language has raised fears among advocates for homeless people that anyone seeking to help those living in encampments could soon have a target on their backs.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Although they were explicitly programmed to refuse to help hackers, the bots were duped into abetting the cybercrime.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
There is a painful irony in this reversal of national fortunes, best illustrated by the current running joke in Brazil that the White House has opened a US embassy on American soil, a nod to the US government’s nefarious history of abetting authoritarianism in Brazil.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
This included prominent businessmen, landowners, poets, novelists, and local officials who were detested for abetting Japanese rule.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Special prosecutors investigating the country’s martial law crisis also indicted on Friday former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who was appointed by Yoon on charges of abetting insurrection and committing perjury, a prosecution spokesperson said.
—CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been spared a jail sentence after pleading guilty to abetting a senior Singapore politician in obstructing the course of justice in a rare gifting scandal in the city-state known for its squeaky clean image.
—Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
For the small-scale paintings, being mysterious and also chic are only abetting sales.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The aiding-and-abetting language has raised fears among advocates for homeless people that anyone seeking to help those living in encampments could soon have a target on their backs.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abetting
Verb
-
When not in the newsroom, Munis is often out on the streets with his camera, capturing the perfect portrait or settling in to watch a thought-provoking film.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
-
While teasing Season 2 and what’s to come, the series’ creators tout the advantages the audio format offers for thought-provoking science fiction.—
Jordaan Ashley,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The bodies of the three women were found in multiple locations within Wayne County – which encompasses the popular tourist destination Torrey – on March 4, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), which is aiding in the investigation.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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The department is in direct contact with and aiding nearly 500 American citizens with travel out of Israel.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But ever since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, the companies have been accused of promoting anticompetitive behaviors.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
One Russian dancer posted a video of someone removing a Marty Supreme poster to reveal a poster promoting a performance of Swan Lake.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
America is still assisting Ukraine significantly in other ways.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Plants that grew in simulant treated with AMF also had much greater dry shoot and root mass, suggesting that the presence of AMF was assisting with the growth of the plants.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.—
Andrew Martin,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
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Benevolent Venus complements rule-minded Saturn in your 11th House of Friendship, encouraging clear agreements with your teams and friends.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The vocalist credited his love for Boston’s original frontman Brad Delp and his desire to sing along with him on the radio for helping to develop his own singing voice.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Mojtaba was born in 1969 in the holy Shi'ite city of Mashhad and grew up as his father was helping lead the opposition to the Shah.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There are dangers that the entire global supply chain could be upended, raising costs for businesses and their customers.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Many young people in China complain that the cost of raising children is too high and that job prospects are too low.—
Janis Mackey Frayer,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To win a doxxing case, prosecutors must prove someone published a federal employee’s protected personal information for the purposes of threatening them or inciting violence.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Eight adults were charged with offenses, including inciting to riot and loitering and prowling.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abetting. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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