abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

abutted; abutting

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

• adjoin
• border (on)
• butt (on or against)
• flank
• fringe
• join
• march (with)
• neighbor
• skirt
• touch
• verge (on)

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

The area has been the subject of concern after evacuation warnings spread across the 405 freeway into parts of Bel Air and abutting the campus of UCLA in Westwood. —Alexandra Marquez, NBC News, 13 Jan. 2025

The retreat is abutted by a 40-acre wetlands preserve. —Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025

Here, a roundup of the shows that are sure to garner substantial attention at upcoming fashion weeks: January Lanvin is getting a jump on Peter Copping’s debut as artistic director, positioning his Paris show at the tail end of the men’s calendar, which abuts Paris Couture Week. —Miles Socha, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025

While the wall remains a focal point in immigration discourse, tunnels like the one uncovered in the city of San Luis Rio Colorado in Mexico, which abuts the U.S. border, show how traffickers adapt to bypass barriers. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

abutted; abutting

: to touch along a border or with a part that sticks out

abutter noun

Legal Definition

abut

verb

ə-ˈbət 

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