assist

UK: /əˈsɪst/ US: /əˈsɪst/ ,(ə sist′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•sist /əˈsɪst/   v. 

1. to give support or aid (to);
   help: [~ + object]
   She assisted me with my homework.
   [no object* (~ + in/with + object)]
   He was asked to assist with the investigation.

n. [countable]

2. Sport (in sports) a play or pass helping a teammate to score or put out an opponent:
   The basketball player had eight assists.
3. a helpful act:
   He needed an assist when he was upset like that.

as•sis•tance, n. [uncountable] See -sist-.
Related Words

assist is a verb and a noun, assistant and assistance are nouns, assistant can also be used as an adjective:
They ran forward to assist her. He needed an assist with the heavy packages. He is the doctor's assistant. She needed assistance getting out of bed. She is an assistant professor.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•sist  (ə sist′), v.t. 

1. to give support or aid to;
   help:
   Please assist him in moving the furniture.
2. to be associated with as an assistant or helper.

v.i. 

3. to give aid or help.
4. to be present, as at a meeting or ceremony.

n. 

5. Sport
   • [Baseball.] a play that helps to put out a batter or base runner.
   • Basketball, Ice Hockey. a play that helps a teammate in gaining a goal.
   • the official credit scored for such plays.
6. a helpful act:
   She finished her homework without an assist from her father.
7. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] an electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical means of increasing power, efficiency, or ease of use:
   a luxury automobile equipped with assists for brakes, steering, windows, and seat adjustment.

• Latin assistere to stand by, help, equivalent. to as- as- + sistere to (cause to) stand (si- reduplicative prefix + -ste- (variant of sta- stand) + -re infinitive suffix)
• 1505–15

as•sist′er*  [Chiefly Law,] as•sis′tor, n. 
as•sist′ive, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. sustain, abet, befriend; back, promote. See help. 

Antonyms

• 1. hinder, frustrate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

assist / əˈsɪst/ verb

1. to give help or support to (a person, cause, etc); aid
2. to work or act as an assistant or subordinate to (another)

noun

1. the act of helping; aid; assistance

Etymology: 15th Century: from French assister to be present, from Latin assistere to stand by, from sistere to cause to stand, from stāre to stand

asˈsister noun