abet | abettor
Exam frequency
GRE
high
Banks
high
Civil Services
high
Meaning(s)
help or encourage somebody to do something wrong
How to Memorize
abet - help
Analysis
If you ‘abet’ somebody, you assist them in doing something immoral or illegal. It is a formal term most commonly used in the legal expression ‘aid and abet’ - a charge of helping somebody to commit a crime which in itself usually carries a prison sentence.
| Exams | Spoken | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synonyms | assist,support,sanction | ||
| Antonyms | hinder,deter,impede |
Example(s)
Sandra is a very honest and moral person. She would never abet somebody’s attempt to cause harm to others.
The defendant was found not guilty of the robbery itself, but was charged with aiding and abetting the thief by helping her get away.
The shady accountant was the chief abettor in the company’s efforts to conceal their true tax liability.