# abet

/əˈbɛt/ (US) · /ɐbˈɛt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abet
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

to help someone do something illegal or wrong. You use this when you are not the main person doing the crime, but you encourage or support them.

For teachers: to encourage, support, or assist in the commission of a crime or wrongdoing. Often used in legal contexts to describe secondary liability.

## Examples

- He was arrested for abetting the robbery.
- The lawyer argued that his client was merely abetting the crime by providing a safe house, not by committing it himself.
- While the mastermind planned the heist, his accomplices were charged with abetting the crime by supplying the necessary equipment and acting as lookouts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.