abut
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to be adjacent to; border on; end at.
-
to support by an abutment.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of abut
1425–75; late Middle English < Middle French, Old French abuter touch at one end, verbal derivative of a but to (the) end; see a- 5, butt 2
Explanation
When something borders something else, it is said to abut it. The term is often used in real estate to refer to a lot line. Wouldn’t it be nice to have your back yard abut a forest preserve or park? The Old French word but meant "end" — think of "butt" for a crude way to remember that! — and it was joined to a-, from the Latin ad- "near to." The result was abuter, which meant "to touch at an end." The word eventually became abouter, meaning "to join at the ends, or border on." The idea of abut suggesting a common boundary comes from the late Middle English, and today we use the word when anything touches something else.
Vocabulary lists containing abut
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Close Encounters: Synonyms for "Near"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Internment
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The Roman space telescope is expected to discover tens of thousands of planets, possibly offering clarity abut how many could be out there.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
TotalEnergies will likely remain cautious abut its balance sheet and announce a $750 million share buyback, they write.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026
But after Lord Leveson published his report into the ethics of the press, police forces became much more cautious abut what information they released.
From BBC • Aug. 12, 2025
Hundreds of thousands of people live around the Bien Hoa air base, and some of their homes abut the site’s perimeter fence, just yards from the contaminated areas.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2025
Vinoy advanced towards the Bastille by the small streets that abut upon the Rue St. Antoine, the quays of the right and of the left banks.
From History of the Commune of 1871 by Lissagary, P.
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.
