assist
Americanverb (used with object)
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assists,
present (3rd person singular)
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assisted,
past participle, past
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assisting
present participle
verb (used without object)
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assists,
present (3rd person singular)
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assisted,
past participle, past
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assisting
present participle
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to give aid or help.
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to be present, as at a meeting or ceremony.
noun
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assists
plural
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Sports.
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Baseball. a play that helps to put out a batter or base runner.
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Basketball, Ice Hockey. a play that helps a teammate in gaining a goal.
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the official credit scored for such plays.
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a helpful act.
She finished her homework without an assist from her father.
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Machinery. an electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical means of increasing power, efficiency, or ease of use.
a luxury automobile equipped with assists for brakes, steering, windows, and seat adjustment.
verb
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to give help or support to (a person, cause, etc); aid
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to work or act as an assistant or subordinate to (another)
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ice hockey to help (a team-mate) to score, as by passing the puck
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archaic to be present; attend
noun
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the act of helping; aid; assistance
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baseball the act of a player who throws or deflects a batted ball in such a way that a team is enabled to put out an opponent
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sport
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a pass or other action by a player which enables another player to score a goal
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a credit given for such an action
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Synonym Usage
See help.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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assisternoun
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nonassisternoun
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overassistverb
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reassistverb (used with object)
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assistiveadjective
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unassistedadjective
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unassistingadjective
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well-assistedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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assistsimple
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assistssimple
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have assistedperfect
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has assistedperfect
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am assistingprogressive
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are assistingprogressive
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is assistingprogressive
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have been assistingperfect progressive
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has been assistingperfect progressive
Past
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assistedsimple
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had assistedperfect
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was assistingprogressive
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were assistingprogressive
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had been assistingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of assist
First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin assistere “to stand by, help,” from as- as- ( def. ) + sistere “to cause to stand, stop,” derivative of stāre “to stand” ( see also stand ( def. ))
Explanation
You run up the field, pass the ball to the forward and she scores! It’s your third assist of the game. On and off the soccer field, to assist is to help or contribute. The English word assist came to us in the early 15th century from the French word assister, meaning to "to stand by or help.” The French word is pronounced "ah-sis-tay" and is not to be confused with "a sister." Even if your sister is helpful.
Vocabulary lists containing assist
Defense, Dribble, and Dunk: Basketball Lingo
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Mother's Day Words: What Mothers Do
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Herbert Hoover on "Rugged Individualism" (1928)
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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:
The Ukrainian army said Friday it would do "everything possible to assist the residents of Oleshky and will make every effort to ensure the safety and rescue of our fellow citizens."
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
With three goals and one assist in seven WSL games for her new club, it is clear Putellas is still deserving of her nickname.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Tunnicliff is looking to change that, with an assist from AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Multiple small businesses that will be affected by construction have received grants from Metro to assist with the impact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
“I quite understand your position. Not, I fear, that my wife and I can do much to assist you. We were asleep and heard nothing at all.”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Including England matches, it was 73 goals - plus eight assists - in 65 matches.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
He has started the season in electric form, with 10 goals and 10 assists in 13 games for Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
The Lakers improved to 2-0 and Doncic had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and, if you’re looking to complain, a career high-tying 11 turnovers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
Beginning his first full season in Los Angeles after being acquired from Cleveland in a trade for James Harden in February, Garland led the Clippers with 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting and four assists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
I managed to score twice, make five assists, and grab three rebounds.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
"We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response."
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
Thankfully, the same capacity for collaboration that assisted our species’ development throughout history could now avert this catastrophe.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Central Command said Tuesday that American forces had assisted Gulf partners in shipping more than 19 million barrels of crude through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
A nursing-home room could cost $100,000 a year or $60,000 or more for assisted living, depending on where you live.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
She closed the stove door with a bang, and ap-proaching, assisted in removing Edna’s dripping mackintosh.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
Separately, after stopping a vehicle in Bedfordshire, the 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
They’ll do everything from bolting together Cybercabs to mowing your lawn, from tending bars to caring for the elderly and, naturally, assisting in the colonization of the moon and Mars.
From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026
Navy are assisting with the rescue effort, Sappey said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The IOM said it was assisting 64 survivors at a migrant centre in Obock.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
‘Quite right,’ answered the dwarf, gathering up the cushions and courteously assisting Frodo back into his seat.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
