abide
Americanverb (used without object)
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abides,
present (3rd person singular)
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abode,
past participle, past
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abided,
past participle, past
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abiding
present participle
verb (used with object)
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abides,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abode,
past participle, past
-
abided,
past participle, past
-
abiding
present participle
-
to put up with; tolerate; stand.
I can't abide dishonesty!
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to endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting.
to abide a vigorous onslaught.
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to wait for; await.
to abide the coming of the Lord.
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to accept without opposition or question.
to abide the verdict of the judges.
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to pay the price or penalty of; suffer for.
verb phrase
verb
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(tr) to tolerate; put up with
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(tr) to accept or submit to; suffer
to abide the court's decision
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to comply (with)
to abide by the decision
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to remain faithful (to)
to abide by your promise
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(intr) to remain or continue
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archaic (intr) to dwell
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archaic (tr) to await in expectation
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archaic (tr) to withstand or sustain; endure
to abide the onslaught
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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abidesimple
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abidessimple
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have abidedperfect
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have abodeperfect
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has abidedperfect
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has abodeperfect
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am abidingprogressive
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are abidingprogressive
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is abidingprogressive
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have been abidingperfect progressive
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has been abidingperfect progressive
Past
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abidedsimple
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abodesimple
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had abidedperfect
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had abodeperfect
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was abidingprogressive
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were abidingprogressive
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had been abidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abide
First recorded before 1000; Middle English abiden, Old English ābīdan; cognate with Old High German irbītan “to await,” Gothic usbeisns “expectation, patience”; equivalent to a- 3 + bide
Explanation
Abide means "to be able to live with or put up with." If you can't abide with something, it means you can't stand it. If you can abide it, it means you can live with it. An old definition of abide is "to live" — think of abode, as in "dwelling." If you abide by the rules, it means you live with them, and you will follow them. If you can't abide your sister's shrill violin playing, it means you can't live with it, you can't be in the house when she's practicing. You abide something you don't like, like your teacher's long stories about math. It's not a pleasant experience, but what choice do you have?
Vocabulary lists containing abide
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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Antigone
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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:
His family took the decision to abide by Issac's wishes as a lifelong Witness not to accept such a procedure.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Healey, whose official title is chancellor of the exchequer, has also pledged to abide by the rules laid out by his predecessor Rachel Reeves, which state that day-to-day spending must balance with government tax receipts.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
The judge last month rejected the argument that because Inglewood is a charter city, one that operates under its own constitution, it should abide by the original development agreement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
First, you aren’t wrong to abide by his wishes for a home and security for you.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
At length, Fflewddur murmured, “I put the decision in your hands and abide by what you do.”
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
It also said AI can reduce the manual work involved in making sure the bank abides by changing regulations—a mammoth task for financial institutions since the 2008-9 crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
The team abides by a "one strike and you're out" policy, where accounts found to be used in illegal activities will be promptly suspended.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Nobody’s perfect, and the longer a piece of art abides, the more likely it is that it’ll start to suck.
From Salon ● Apr. 2, 2026
A federal monitor will be installed to ensure Live Nation abides by these terms over the next eight years.
From Slate ● Mar. 10, 2026
“We have read the scroll, and it is indeed an invitation. It seems that the Fairy Queen, at least, still abides by the laws of our treaty.”
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
“Congressman Wilson does and has always abided by campaign donation regulations set forth by the Federal Election Commission,” Snider said in an email.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
"For years, Europeans aided and abided flagrant ethical flaws in the international football federation," said Bruen, head of the Global Situation Room strategic communications firm.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
He told CBS News on Monday that Iran "could have access" to a $300bn reconstruction fund if it abided by the terms of its deal with the US.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
It requires those submitting trophy kills to sign an affidavit swearing they have abided by club technology and other restrictions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
According to the New York Post, the family’s new Nashville home is a $3.4 million newly built abode.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
Francis was told the women had not been brought under duress but George, of no fixed abode, had "plainly exploited the circumstances of these victims".
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The iconic fashion designer, 84, snapped up the 4,300-square-foot abode on April 11, 2025, paying $6.85 million.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
With an entire wing dedicated to the primary suite, which features a fireplace, patio with direct access to the pool, and a lavish bathroom, the abode is certainly a relaxing retreat.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
Early upon the morning following those hours passed in Arobin’s society, Edna set about securing her new abode and hurrying her arrangements for occupying it.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
That title is something of a metaphor, about connecting to a deep, abiding spirituality accessible to us all.
From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026
Regardless of what station they work for, reporters and pilots are constantly helping each other, abiding by unspoken rules to keep each other safe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
"They are abiding by knocking down the number of logo'd items but there are lots of ways that the schools can get around it."
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
In a response to questions for this article, Srinivasan wrote on X that the Instagram post was a hoax, and that “we respect Malaysia’s sovereignty and are abiding by all Malaysian law.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
They were abiding by the rules of war.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
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