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as in to live
to have a home the charming fantasy that fairies abide in the cup-shaped flowers dotting the woodland floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb abide differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of abide are bear, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When is bear a more appropriate choice than abide?

The words bear and abide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

When could endure be used to replace abide?

While in some cases nearly identical to abide, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

In what contexts can stand take the place of abide?

The meanings of stand and abide largely overlap; however, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When might suffer be a better fit than abide?

The synonyms suffer and abide are sometimes interchangeable, but suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of abide?

The words tolerate and abide can be used in similar contexts, but tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Examples of abide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The odds are that a portion of people who are abiding by this latest flash-in-the-pan social media decree will consult generative AI. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Several world leaders have called on Israel and Hezbollah to abide by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which was the resolution that halted the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Oct. 2024 The family has argued that the system running the nursing home set policies and procedures for their staff to abide by that led to Garcia’s death, Mooney said. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2024 Companies that pay for weight loss drugs might require employees to abide by strict guidelines, such as visiting a dietitian, psychologist, case worker or therapist to get a prescription. Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abide 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Abide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abide. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

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