English Reference

Phrasal verb

abide by

Definition

phrasal verb. to follow a rule, a law, or a decision that has been made.

phrasal verb. to comply with or submit to a rule, decision, or recommendation; typically used in formal or legal contexts to indicate adherence to established standards.

Examples

“You must abide by the rules of the game.”

“All members of the club agree to abide by the committee's final decision regarding the new budget.”

“Failure to abide by the international safety regulations resulted in the immediate suspension of the company's operating license.”

Examples

simple

“You must abide by the rules of the game.”

contextual

“All members of the club agree to abide by the committee's final decision regarding the new budget.”

complex

“Failure to abide by the international safety regulations resulted in the immediate suspension of the company's operating license.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “abide by” in context.

Verb

01. agree to abide by

“All participants must agree to abide by the tournament's code of conduct.”

verb + infinitive

02. fail to abide by

“The company was fined heavily after they failed to abide by environmental regulations.”

verb + infinitive

03. faithfully abide by

“Both nations promised to faithfully abide by the terms of the peace treaty.”

adv + verb

04. refuse to abide by

“The athlete was disqualified when he refused to abide by the referee's final decision.”

verb + infinitive

05. strictly abide by

“Staff members are expected to strictly abide by the safety protocols at all times.”

adv + verb

Noun

06. failure to abide by

“A failure to abide by the terms of the contract may lead to legal action.”

noun + infinitive

07. obligation to abide by

“Citizens have a moral obligation to abide by the laws of the land.”

noun + infinitive

08. willingness to abide by

“The success of the mediation depends on each party's willingness to abide by the outcome.”

noun + infinitive

Usage

highly formal and almost always followed by an abstract noun like rules, laws, or agreements.

Teaching tip

anchor this to the verb 'bide' (as in 'bide your time') to show the sense of staying or remaining with a decision; contrast with 'follow' to show the difference in formality.

Pitfall

They abide to the rules.

They abide by the rules.

the verb 'abide' requires the preposition 'by' when it means to follow a rule.

Phrasal verb

Particles

by

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

abide + by + object

Synonyms

followobeycomply withstick to

Antonyms

breakviolatedisobeyflout

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
Level
C1 · AdvancedOxford
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