allowable
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- allowableness noun
- allowably adverb
- preallowable adjective
- preallowably adverb
- unallowable adjective
Etymology
Origin of allowable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Middle French word alouable. See allow, -able
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.
In recent years, Congress has also expanded the list of allowable reasons to take a hardship withdrawal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
Adding the firing squad in Arizona requires a constitutional amendment because the state’s constitution explicitly describes the sole methods of execution allowable for the state.
From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026
“We do not reduce the parent’s benefit amount because it is not part of the maximum allowable amount,” the Social Security Administration said.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026
Utilities make money by earning a rate of return on their capital investments; if their allowable investments decline, their returns will, too.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
Had it been allowable entertainment, had there been no pain to her friend, or reproach to herself, in the waverings of Harriet’s mind, Emma would have been amused by its variations.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
