abut

verb

ə-ˈbət How to pronounce abut (audio)
abutted; abutting
Synonyms of abut

transitive verb

1
: to border on : to touch along an edge
Their property abuts our land.
2
: to cause to touch or lean for support
abut a timber against a post

intransitive verb

1
: to touch along a border or with a projecting part
a parcel of land that abuts on the road
2
a
: to terminate at a point of contact
b
: to lean for support

Synonyms of abut

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Examples of abut in a Sentence

Their property and our property abut. our land abuts a nature preserve, so we see a lot of wildlife
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Upon passing through a deep portico entryway abutting an attached two-car garage, a vaulted reception gallery sits beneath a prominent glass atrium. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026 The bear was headed for a home that abuts our neighborhood park. — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 In the South, Italians were frequently employed in manual labor alongside Black workers, and in the North, Italian and Black neighborhoods—frequently the most impoverished—often abutted each other. — Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026 The area borders Toronto’s busy Chinatown, where Asian eateries abut hipster bars and boutiques. — Michael Kaminer, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abut

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abutten, borrowed from Anglo-French abuter, from a-, verb-forming prefix (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + bout, but "push, thrust, blow, end, extremity," noun derivative from bouter, boter "to push, thrust, strike" — more at butt entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of abut was in the 14th century

Rhymes for abut

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Browse Nearby Words

abusus non tollit usum
abut
Abuta
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Cite this Entry

“Abut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abut. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

abut

verb
ə-ˈbət How to pronounce abut (audio)
abutted; abutting
: to touch along a border or with a part that sticks out
abutter noun

Legal Definition

abut

verb
ə-ˈbət How to pronounce abut (audio)
abutted; abutting

intransitive verb

: to touch along a border or with a projecting part
—used with on, upon, or against
the land abuts on the road

transitive verb

: to border on : reach or touch with an end
two lots that abut each other
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