# assist

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈsɪst/ · frequency rank #3,468

## Definitions
1. To help.
2. To make a pass that leads directly towards scoring.
3. To help compensate for what is missing with the help of a medical technique or therapy.
4. To stand (at a place) or to (an opinion).
5. To be present (at an event, occasion etc.).

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd
Proto-Italic *ad
Proto-Italic *ad-
Latin ad-
Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-
Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti
Proto-Italic *sistō
Latin sistō
Latin assistō
Old French assisterbor.
Middle English assisten
English assist
From Middle English assisten, from Old French assister (“to assist, to attend”), from Latin assistō (“stand at, bestand”, verb).

## Easily confused with
- **assists** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assist-vs-assists)
- **assisted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assist-vs-assisted)
- **asset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asset-vs-assist)
- **asses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asses-vs-assist)
- **artist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/artist-vs-assist)
- **assess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assess-vs-assist)
- **assign** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assign-vs-assist)
- **assert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assert-vs-assist)
- **assent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assent-vs-assist)

## Common misspellings (7)
`asisst`, `asist`, `assisst`, `assistt`, `assits`, `asssit`, `sasist`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/assist