aid

1 of 3

verb

aided; aiding; aids

transitive verb

: to provide with what is useful or necessary in achieving an end
aid a cause
aid a friend

intransitive verb

: to give assistance
research that aided in the discovery of a new drug
aider noun

aid

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: the act of helping someone
climbers in need of aid
b
: help given : assistance
providing aid and comfort
specifically : tangible means of assistance (such as money or supplies)
government aid
2
a
chiefly US : aide
worked as a teacher's aid
b
: something by which assistance is given : an assisting device
an aid to understanding
a visual aid
see hearing aid
3
: a subsidy granted to the king by the English parliament until the 18th century for an extraordinary purpose
4
: a tribute paid by a vassal to his lord

AID

3 of 3

abbreviation

1
Agency for International Development
2
artificial insemination by donor

Examples of aid in a Sentence

Verb They gave money in order to aid the cause. She aided them in their efforts. He jumped into the water to aid the drowning child. a home run that was aided by the wind She aided the government in the attempt to fight illiteracy. Noun The project was completed with the aid of several students. The work was done with the aid of a computer. The government has given millions of dollars in economic aid to these nations. She applied for financial aid in order to go to college. The diagram is provided as an aid to understanding. The computer is an aid to keeping costs down. He teaches art with visual aids.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In recent years, federal prosecutors in New York have convicted several major Latin American drug traffickers, as well as some officials accused of aiding them. Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Critics condemned the action as aiding a man of privilege and connections while inflicting further pain on the family of Ariel Young, the young girl who spent 11 days in a coma following the collision. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 The science may also aid in preserving near-extinct animal species in the future. Heather Mundt, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Plans for a memorial service will be announced at a later time, officials aid. Li Cohen, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Scrolling through graphic images and growing death tolls on social media has only angered the gender-fluid artist more over the United States' role in aiding Israel. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Those players, like Duclair, might bring decent returns that could aid the rebuild. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 These portals provide investors the opportunity to connect with other like-minded professionals to tap into new ways of approaching specific problems and find solutions that can aid their long-term strategies. Jacob Wolinsky, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The report, which covers a period from the outbreak of the fighting up to Dec. 15, documents abuses in a country that has been largely inaccessible to aid groups and rights monitors recently, clouding the impact of a conflict that been overshadowed by wars in places like Gaza and Ukraine. Jamey Keaten, The Denver Post, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Related article Carnage at Gaza food aid site amid Israeli gunfire. Rob Picheta, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The president announced in his speech Thursday that the U.S. military would help establish a temporary pier aimed at boosting the amount of aid getting into the territory. Josh Boak, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2024 The loan announced this week brings the total to $15.4 million in aid. Samantha Lacicero, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024 The Grand Caravan has served all over the world with a versatility no other turboprop can match: carting freight for FedEx, military missions, amphibian flights with floats, passenger transport, air ambulances, and delivering humanitarian aid. Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Changes needed | Mental health | Ensure aid | People of faith | Restoring sanity | Reform court But the overall effect of the bill would still implicate Americans’ free speech rights, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 The Senate on Thursday passed a bill seeking to expand health benefits for Americans who live in areas contaminated by nuclear radiation from the Manhattan project, part of a months-long quest by Sen. Josh Hawley to get aid for constituents in the St. Louis area. Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Israeli leaders have denied allegations that Israel has restricted aid and, instead, have blamed humanitarian organizations, saying hundreds of trucks filled with aid sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 Yet despite the horrific consequences of these shortages, the US Congress continues to stall on President Joe Biden’s $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English eyden, from Anglo-French aider, from Latin adjutare, frequentative of adjuvare, from ad- + juvare to help

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of aid was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near aid

Cite this Entry

“Aid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aid

1 of 2 verb
: to provide with what is useful or necessary : help, assist
aider noun

aid

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the act of helping
b
: help given : assistance
2
3
: someone or something that is of help or assistance
a visual aid

Medical Definition

aid

1 of 2 noun
1
: the act of helping or treating
also : the help or treatment given
in need of immediate medical aid
2
: an assisting person or group
a laboratory aid
compare aide
3
: something by which assistance is given : an assisting device
a visual aid
especially : hearing aid

AID

2 of 2 abbreviation
artificial insemination by donor

Legal Definition

aid

1 of 2 transitive verb
: to provide with what is useful in achieving an end
conspiracy to counsel or aid draft resistersK. A. Cohen
often used in the phrase aid and abet
see also abet

intransitive verb

: to be of use
aided in the commission of the crime
aider noun

aid

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act of aiding
render aid to the principal
2
: help given
especially : tangible means of assistance (as money or supplies)
aid to the disabled
giving aid and comfort to the enemy

More from Merriam-Webster on aid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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