Improving water-use efficiency in plants is essential in meeting world food demand under intensifying drought and water scarcity. Abscisic acid, a phytohormone that is a key plant water loss regulator, controls stomatal closure. Abscisic acid levels in plants are controlled by enzymes called ABA 8′-hydroxylases, which are encoded by the ZmAbh genes in maize. Here, the research is addressed whether multiple genetic abscisic acid 8′-hydroxylase (ZmAbh) gene disruption in maize could enhance water-use characteristics without strongly compromising growth under controlled conditions. CRISPR/Cas9 mutants in ZmAbh1, ZmAbh2 and ZmAbh4 were contrasted with wild-type plants in two controlled experiments. Gas exchange analysis showed reduced stomatal conductance and CO₂ assimilation in mutants, accompanied by a clear trend toward higher intrinsic water-use efficiency. Under equal water input, mutants also produced more dry biomass, indicating improved whole-plant water-use efficiency. These findings suggest that altered abscisic acid breakdown increases drought tolerance by reducing transpiration without compromising on photosynthetic yield. The findings demonstrate that manipulating abscisic acid degradation pathways can be a viable strategy to improve crop performance under limited water supply, particularly in C₄ species like maize.