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as in to live
to have a home the charming fantasy that fairies abide in the cup-shaped flowers dotting the woodland floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb abide differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of abide are bear, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When is bear a more appropriate choice than abide?

The words bear and abide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

When could endure be used to replace abide?

While in some cases nearly identical to abide, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

In what contexts can stand take the place of abide?

The meanings of stand and abide largely overlap; however, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When might suffer be a better fit than abide?

The synonyms suffer and abide are sometimes interchangeable, but suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of abide?

The words tolerate and abide can be used in similar contexts, but tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abide Like other businesses, telehealth services, pharmacies and hospitals dealing with EHRs are obliged to abide by these regulations. Salman Shahid, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Use National Park Service resources to help safely plan your trip and abide by Leave No Trace principles. Katherine Lawless, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2025 Last year, Dykes issued a ruling requiring UI to abide by the higher remediation standard. John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025 But what abides entering the 2025 season is the endless reservoir of resolve and infectious sense that his teams are meant to win and never out of it. Vahe Gregorian july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for abide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abide
Verb
  • Kenwood’s program will remain the same, but Western’s will change to a Building Construction Management magnet, which will expose students to different areas of construction trades, such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing and carpentry.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2025
  • The love remained even as Alonso tested free agency for the first time last winter.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Mack had lived and worked in Los Angeles ever since.
    EW.com, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple.
    Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Those that tolerate high temperatures and drought to grow well in the South include Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and ‘Provence’ French lavender (Lavandula x intermedia).
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Peace lilies can tolerate lower light levels than many other houseplants.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • For more than a dozen years, the Food and Drug Administration quietly allowed substandard foreign factories to continue shipping medications to the United States even after the agency officially banned them from doing so because of dangerous manufacturing failures.
    Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica, 13 Aug. 2025
  • In 2022 alone, donor participation dropped by 10%, and this trend has continued to the present, with a slight rebound in 2024.
    Leslye Moore, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • To stay at Casa Carolina is also to support the hotel's commitment to sustainability, woven through the fabric of its operations in big ways and small.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Now, the museum relies on sponsorships and individual donations to stay open.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • They're listed as imperiled by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and largely reside along the western highland Rim from Stewart County to the southern border, according to the agency.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
  • An identical Cash statue already resides in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Congress, where it was installed last year.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • And, like Disney adults, their passion has endured.
    Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 8 Aug. 2025
  • After opening the season as one of the best teams in the American League, the New York Yankees have endured a brutal skid in the standings and are now clinging onto the final wild card spot as the playoffs approach.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Again, there are parts of this phase that aren’t going to last forever.
    R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Construction will last until 2041, perhaps far longer.
    Stacy Torres, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abide. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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