Synonyms

allow

American

[uh-lou] / əˈlaʊ /

verb (used with object)

to give permission to or for; permit.

to allow a student to be absent;
No swimming allowed.

Antonyms:

prohibit, forbid
to let have; give as one's share; grant as one's right.

to allow a person $100 for expenses.
to permit by neglect, oversight, or the like.

to allow a door to remain open.
to admit; acknowledge; concede.

to allow a claim.
to take into consideration, as by adding or subtracting; set apart.

to allow an hour for changing trains.
Older Use. to say; think.
Archaic. to approve; sanction.

verb (used without object)

to permit something to happen or to exist; admit (often followed byof ): a premise that allows of only one conclusion.

to spend more than one's budget allows;
a premise that allows of only one conclusion.

idioms

allow for, to make concession or provision for.

to allow for breakage.

allow British

/ əˈlaʊ /

verb

(tr) to permit (to do something); let
(tr) to set aside

five hours were allowed to do the job
(tr) to let enter or stay

they don't allow dogs
(tr) to acknowledge or concede (a point, claim, etc)
(tr) to let have; grant

he was allowed few visitors
to take into account

allow for delays
to permit; admit

a question that allows of only one reply
dialect (tr; may take a clause as object) to assert; maintain
archaic (tr) to approve; accept

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say allow? To allow something is to give permission for it. How is allow different from permit and let? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

preallow verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of allow

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English alowen, from Anglo-French al(l)o(u)er “to place, allot, allow,” Old French aloer “to place,” from Late Latin allocāre; al-, locus; the older sense “approve, sanction” and Middle English sense “praise” probably by taking the Anglo-French verb as representing Medieval Latin, Latin adlaudāre “to praise”; ad-, laud

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

All plans allow up to eight simultaneous connections.

From Salon

But her request for a decision on the application to be deferred to allow for a site visit was not supported by other councillors.

From BBC

Industry experts say it’s a possibility, noting that passenger contracts can allow for this very kind of post-booking add-on.

From MarketWatch

In Canada, the British Columbia General Employees’ Union is now asking for workers to be allowed to work from home.

From MarketWatch

Such rallies allow people to tell the public their feelings about an issue or an event.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023