disallow
Americanverb (used with object)
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to refuse to allow; reject; veto.
to disallow a claim for compensation.
-
to refuse to admit the truth or validity of.
to disallow the veracity of a report.
verb
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to reject as untrue or invalid
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to cancel
Other Word Forms
- disallowable adjective
- disallowableness noun
- disallowance noun
Etymology
Origin of disallow
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Old French word desallouer. See dis- 1, allow
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.
It followed an incredible eight-minute VAR review to disallow a goal for offside against Atletico Madrid.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
The existing players in cybersecurity provide businesses with complex firewalls: software that identifies customers’ internal users of data, and tools that allow or disallow access to information for parties external to the customer.
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
The VAR, Jarred Gillett, sent Pawson to the monitor to disallow the goal.
From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026
It took five minutes and 30 seconds from the moment Semenyo scored what he thought was Manchester City's second goal until referee Kavanagh made the VAR sign to disallow it.
From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026
The motion sought to disallow the testimony of David Strayer, the professor at the University of Utah, who is expert in distracted driving.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
