abide

12 synonyms and 3 antonyms for abide, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To accept and follow a rule, decision, or agreement (used with "by").

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

stomach stay bear stand

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

tolerate endure digest brook

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

comply with adhere to stand for bide

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To accept and follow a rule, decision, or agreement (used with "by").

“All players must abide by the rules of the tournament.”

comply with adhere to tolerate endure stand for digest bide stomach stay brook bear stand

2. verb

To tolerate or put up with something, especially in negative statements.

“He can't abide people who chew with their mouths open.”

Opposites

reject

3. verb

(literary) To remain or continue in a place; to stay.

“The old house has abided through three centuries of storms.”

Opposites

abandon migrate

How to use abide

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

abide by the rules can't abide abide by the decision

Etymology

From Old English abidan, "to wait, remain, endure," built from a- + bidan ("to wait, bide") — the same root as "bide" in "bide your time."

Full origin of abide →

Frequently asked questions

What does “abide” mean?

The word “abide” means to accept and follow a rule, decision, or agreement (used with "by"). In plain terms, most often means to follow a rule ("abide by") or to tolerate something you dislike ("can't abide").

How do you pronounce “abide”?

“Abide” is pronounced uh-BYD (/əˈbaɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “abide” in a sentence?

Here is “abide” used in a sentence: “All players must abide by the rules of the tournament.”

What part of speech is “abide”?

“Abide” is a verb.

Where does the word “abide” come from?

The word “abide” comes from Old English. From Old English abidan, "to wait, remain, endure," built from a- + bidan ("to wait, bide") — the same root as "bide" in "bide your time.".

Is “abide” a common word?

“Abide” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “abide” have?

“Abide” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to accept and follow a rule, decision, or agreement (used with "by").

What is the difference between "abide" and "abide by"?

"Abide by" is used with a rule, decision, or agreement, meaning to accept and follow it, as in "abide by the contract." "Abide" without "by" is more often used to mean tolerating something or, in more literary usage, to remain or stay in a place.

What is the difference between abide and tolerate?

Abide and tolerate overlap closely when abide is used to mean putting up with something, especially in negative statements like "I can't abide dishonesty." Tolerate is the more neutral, general-purpose word, while abide in this sense tends to carry a stronger, more personal note of dislike.

Is abide an old-fashioned or literary word?

The sense of abide meaning "to remain or stay" is now considered literary and somewhat old-fashioned in everyday speech. The senses "abide by" and "can't abide" (meaning tolerate), however, remain common in modern English.

People also searched

stay stand bear stomach reject abandon tolerate endure brook digest migrate bide

Nearby words

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