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

Soon, the nameless buyer’s plans to build a 68,000-square-foot Nantucket-style mansion — a home nearly the size of the White House — abutting the town’s beloved waterfront Centennial Park, became known, leading to his unmasking. —Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024

The Hustle Over the last few months, dozens of people have congregated in tents abutting a walking path. —Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 21 June 2024

The 360-mile-long sliver abutting the Arabian Sea is a bewildering jumble of people, places and cultures. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 15 Apr. 2024

The plan called for knocking down a tree line, building underground gas tanks that would abut some backyards, and a new sewer line. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 29 Oct. 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