Meanings
present singular third person abides by · participle present abiding by · participle past abided by · past abided by · participle past abode by · past abode by
- transitiveTo accept (a decision or law) and act in accordance with it; to conform to (a decision or law); to acquiesce to (a decision or law).
The defendent has abided by my ruling in good faith.
1 more example
I don't agree with it, but I'll abide by the decision to give the reward to her.
Synonyms: acquiesce, conform, accept, acquiesce, go along with, bite the bullet, face up to, face the music
- transitiveTo remain faithful to (something or someone); to adhere to (an idea or plan).
She has served me loyally, abiding by my rule for almost my entire life.
2 more examples
He may have shown his true colors, but he's supported me for years, so I'll abide by him.
To say the truth , it is often safer to abide by the consequences of the first blunder , than to endeavour to rectify it
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLCSynonyms: stand by, go to the wall for, stick with, hold on, keep faith, go to the wall for someone, stand by, stick by
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo accept (a decision or law) and act in accordance with it; to conform to (a decision or law); to acquiesce to (a decision or law).
verbTo remain faithful to (something or someone); to adhere to (an idea or plan).
More synonyms by meaning
verbact in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Ancient Greek μένω, ἐμμένω
- μένω (ménō)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- ἐμμένω (emménō)remain faithful to something or someone
Arabic اِلْتَزَمَ
- اِلْتَزَمَ (iltazama)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Catalan acatar, atenir-se a
- acataraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- atenir-se aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- estar obligat a compliraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Chinese Mandarin 遵循, 遵守
- 遵循 (zūnxún)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- 遵守 (zūnshǒu)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- 忠於 /忠于 (zhōngyú)remain faithful to something or someone
- 信守 (xìnshǒu)remain faithful to something or someone
Dutch zich schikken naar, zich neerleggen bij
- zich schikken naaraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- zich neerleggen bijaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- zich houden aanremain faithful to something or someone
- trouw blijven aanremain faithful to something or someone
Finnish noudattaa, pitää kiinni
- noudattaaaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- pitää kiinniremain faithful to something or someone
- pysyäremain faithful to something or someone
French se conformer, obéir à
- se conformeraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- obéir àaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- se soumettre àaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- s'en tenir àaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- être tenu de respecteraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- tenir sa promesseremain faithful to something or someone
- rester fidèle àremain faithful to something or someone
German einhalten, sich halten an
- einhaltenaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- sich halten anaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- befolgenaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- beistehenremain faithful to something or someone
- zur Seite stehenremain faithful to something or someone
- stehenremain faithful to something or someone
- haltenremain faithful to something or someone
Hungarian elfogad, követ
- elfogadaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- követaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- betartaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- aláveti magátaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- kitart (mellette)remain faithful to something or someone
- hű/hűséges marad (hozzá)remain faithful to something or someone
Italian conformarsi a, ubbidire a
- conformarsi aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- ubbidire aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- sottostare aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- adeguarsi aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- attenersi aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- rispettareaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- essere tenuto a rispettareaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- mantenereremain faithful to something or someone
- rimanere fedeleremain faithful to something or someone
Japanese 従う, 守る
- 従う (shitagau)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- 守る (mamoru)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Polish stosować się
- stosować sięaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Portuguese ater-se a, seguir
- ater-se aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- seguiraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- ser obrigado a cumpriraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Russian соблюда́ть, блюсти́
- соблюда́ть (sobljudátʹ)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- блюсти́ (bljustí)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- соблюсти́ (sobljustí)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- остава́ться ве́рным (ostavátʹsja vérnym)remain faithful to something or someone
- оста́ться ве́рным (ostátʹsja vérnym)remain faithful to something or someone
Spanish acatar, atenerse a
- acataraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- atenerse aaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- estar obligado a cumpliraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Swedish hålla sig till, stå för
- hålla sig tillaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- stå föraccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- vara ihärdigaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Thai ยึดมั่นใน, ปฏิบัติตาม
- ยึดมั่นใน (yéut mân nai)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- ปฏิบัติตาม (bpàdtìbàt dtaam)accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
Turkish uymak, sadık kalmak
- uymakaccept a decision or law and act in accordance with it
- sadık kalmakremain faithful to something or someone
Cite this entry
abide by. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abide%20by
“abide by.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abide%20by. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abide by,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abide%20by.
Source: abide by on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.