abide
Americanverb (used without object)
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abides,
present (3rd person singular)
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abode,
past participle, past
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abided,
past participle, past
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abiding
present participle
verb (used with object)
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abides,
present (3rd person singular)
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abode,
past participle, past
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abided,
past participle, past
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abiding
present participle
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to put up with; tolerate; stand.
I can't abide dishonesty!
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to endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting.
to abide a vigorous onslaught.
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to wait for; await.
to abide the coming of the Lord.
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to accept without opposition or question.
to abide the verdict of the judges.
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to pay the price or penalty of; suffer for.
verb phrase
verb
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(tr) to tolerate; put up with
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(tr) to accept or submit to; suffer
to abide the court's decision
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to comply (with)
to abide by the decision
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to remain faithful (to)
to abide by your promise
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(intr) to remain or continue
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archaic (intr) to dwell
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archaic (tr) to await in expectation
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archaic (tr) to withstand or sustain; endure
to abide the onslaught
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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abidesimple
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abidessimple
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have abidedperfect
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have abodeperfect
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has abidedperfect
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has abodeperfect
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am abidingprogressive
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are abidingprogressive
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is abidingprogressive
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have been abidingperfect progressive
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has been abidingperfect progressive
Past
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abidedsimple
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abodesimple
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had abidedperfect
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had abodeperfect
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was abidingprogressive
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were abidingprogressive
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had been abidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abide
First recorded before 1000; Middle English abiden, Old English ābīdan; cognate with Old High German irbītan “to await,” Gothic usbeisns “expectation, patience”; equivalent to a- 3 + bide
Explanation
Abide means "to be able to live with or put up with." If you can't abide with something, it means you can't stand it. If you can abide it, it means you can live with it. An old definition of abide is "to live" — think of abode, as in "dwelling." If you abide by the rules, it means you live with them, and you will follow them. If you can't abide your sister's shrill violin playing, it means you can't live with it, you can't be in the house when she's practicing. You abide something you don't like, like your teacher's long stories about math. It's not a pleasant experience, but what choice do you have?
Vocabulary lists containing abide
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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Antigone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Upon your mother-in-law’s death, the trust generally becomes irrevocable, and you must abide by its terms.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
He called on the supporters of Khan, who remains a dominant political personality, to abide by the party's agreement with the court that there "must not be any crowding or commotion".
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Non-banks filled the gap, though they don’t have to abide rigorous capital, liquidity and stress tests like banks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
The company said earlier it would abide by an order from Mayor Bass to remove the waste within 45 days and has weeks to go.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
But when the voice sang out again—and I realized it was coming from the abandoned church—I told myself that a church was an unlikely place for evil spirits to abide.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
Nobody’s perfect, and the longer a piece of art abides, the more likely it is that it’ll start to suck.
From Salon ● Apr. 2, 2026
A federal monitor will be installed to ensure Live Nation abides by these terms over the next eight years.
From Slate ● Mar. 10, 2026
UnitedHealth said he abides by its conflict-of-interest policies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
If you don't understand Spanish then it is perhaps better you search online for the literal translation of the motto which Alcaraz abides by.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
But I know, too, of the basic comfort in this familial precision, where the relation abides no argument, no questions or quarrels.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
"For years, Europeans aided and abided flagrant ethical flaws in the international football federation," said Bruen, head of the Global Situation Room strategic communications firm.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
In an interview, he said abided by interscholastic rules, though he acknowledged some eyebrow-raising transfers on his watch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
The company added that it abided with the law in Los Angeles County and “every jurisdiction where we operate.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2025
Having carried out her community service and abided by the restraining order, she is once again preaching – and has also done missionary work in Brazil.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2025
He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Still, the actress struggled to find a buyer—with sources telling Realtor.com at the time that, while the four-bedroom abode had come under offer several times, the deals always fell through before they could officially close.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Upon entering the abode, guests are greeted with a charming living area with a cozy fireplace and large windows.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
While the property boasts far more outdoor space than their Beverly Hills abode, for those seeking a private, secluded retreat in California, the couple’s former Golden State dwelling could well be the perfect place.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
She shares her L.A. abode now with husband Ted Danson, whom she married in 1995 and with whom she’s starred in numerous projects, including the Netflix series “A Man on the Inside.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
I took care she should never want for anything that could contribute to her comfort: she soon settled in her new abode, became very happy there, and made fair progress in her studies.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
"We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules," she said on social media.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Vimalakirti leans over the edge of his canopied bed with an impatient stare, as he argues that it is possible to enjoy earthly life while still abiding by Buddhist nonattachment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
In the abiding spirit of the Americans who believed in and built that promise, this year’s series on how to think about constitutional meaning is limited only by what you, the people, can imagine.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Instead of abiding by existing trading hours for traditional derivatives exchanges, perpetual contracts trade 24 hours, seven days a week, with cash settlement occurring at regular intervals.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026
But it’s not going to happen today—and there is a deep, abiding comfort in that.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
