as in supported
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in provoked
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aided
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
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 abetted
Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
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
The result plays well moment-to-moment, much abetted by Nate Hurtsellers’ somberly handsome cinematography, plus a diverse, expressive original score from Macie Stewart and Quinn Tsan.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
Similar unflattering reporting by other news organizations only further abetted his comeback.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Across the Arab world, the general sense is that the United States aided, abetted, and armed a genocide against the Palestinian people.
—Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In City Council, the two were eagerly abetted by others who included Ald.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2024
The charges stem from Hunter’s reckless lifestyle, abetted and financed by his willingness to trade shamelessly on the family name.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2024
Of course this hardly justifies the savagery that Russia has abetted in fighting over the Donbas.
—Robert David English, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2017
Verb
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
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
The result plays well moment-to-moment, much abetted by Nate Hurtsellers’ somberly handsome cinematography, plus a diverse, expressive original score from Macie Stewart and Quinn Tsan.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
Similar unflattering reporting by other news organizations only further abetted his comeback.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Across the Arab world, the general sense is that the United States aided, abetted, and armed a genocide against the Palestinian people.
—Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In City Council, the two were eagerly abetted by others who included Ald.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2024
The charges stem from Hunter’s reckless lifestyle, abetted and financed by his willingness to trade shamelessly on the family name.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2024
Of course this hardly justifies the savagery that Russia has abetted in fighting over the Donbas.
—Robert David English, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abetted
Verb
-
The incident was caught on video, making waves online and on local TV news, and provoked an outcry from fellow residents.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Jan. 2025
-
His 1954 run for governor in Connecticut provoked questions about whether the state was ready for a Jewish governor.—
Arthur House,
Hartford Courant,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The party has dismissed the raucous town halls in conservative districts as the work of liberal activist groups, which have encouraged people to flood public forums in an attempt to highlight frustrations with the administration.—
Riley Beggin,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Before the Democratic National Convention in 1912, McCombs encouraged prominent journalists and editors to write articles supportive of Wilson's nomination.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
He was promoted to assistant city manager in 2013.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacramento Bee,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Pippen was promoted from his two-way deal to a roster contract and has played every game for a team with the second-best record in the West.—
Eric Koreen,
The Athletic,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abetted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abetted. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share