allow

1 to give permission for or to approve of <flash photography is not allowed inside the church> Synonyms green-light, have, permit, suffer Related Words authorize, commission, license (also licence); accede (to), acquiesce, agree (to), assent (to), consent (to), OK (or okay), warrant; accord, concede, grant, sanction, vouchsafe; admit, brook, condone, countenance, endure, support, tolerate Phrases stand for Near Antonyms hinder, impede, obstruct; censure, disallow, disapprove, deny, interdict, refuse, reject, revoke, suppress, withhold; deplore, discountenance, disfavor, dislike, frown (at or on), grudge; check, curb, keep, repress, restrain Antonyms ban, enjoin, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, veto

2 to give permission to <a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission> Synonyms leave, let, permit Related Words authorize, commission, empower, license (also licence); approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; free, liberate, release; cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge Near Antonyms deter, discourage; bar, block, constrain, curb, frustrate, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent Antonyms enjoin, forbid, prohibit

3 to fail to prevent (some behavior on someone's part) especially from neglect or indifference <only a lazy gardener would allow the weeds to grow that high> Synonyms let, permit, suffer, tolerate Related Words brush (aside or off), condone, disregard, ignore, overlook, shrug off, wink (at); excuse, forgive, pardon; brook, cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge Phrases put up with Near Antonyms forbid, prohibit; curb, deter, discourage, frustrate, hold back, impede, inhibit, interfere (with) Antonyms bar, block, constrain, prevent

4 to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly <I'll allow I probably said more than I should have> Synonyms acknowledge, agree, admit, concede, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to)Related Words disburden, unburden, unload; affirm, avow, confirm, profess; accept, recognize, yield; announce, break, broadcast, communicate, declare, disclose, divulge, impart, proclaim, publish, reveal, spill, tell, unveil; betray, blab, expose, give away, inform, leak, rat, squeal, talk, tattle, tip (off), warn, wise (up); breathe, say, whisperNear Antonyms disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown; contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative; rebut, refute, reject, repudiate; conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil; kid (oneself)Antonyms deny

5 to give as a share or portion <allowed each camper one match to light his fire> Synonyms allocate, allot, apportion, assign, distribute, lot, rationRelated Words admeasure, administer, deal, dispense, divide, dole out, hand out, measure, mete (out), meter, parcel (out), part, portion, prorate, share (out), split; accord, award, give, grant; earmark, reserve; chip in, contribute, donate; reallocate, reapportion, reassign, redistributeNear Antonyms begrudge, deny, deprive (of); keep, retain, stint, withhold; appropriate, arrogate, confiscate

6 to make able or possible <a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls> Synonyms enable, empower, let, permitRelated Words fit, habilitate, prepare, qualify, ready; approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; condition, equipNear Antonyms inhibit, preclude; disallow, enjoin, forbid, prohibitAntonyms prevent

7 to make a statement of one's opinion <he allowed that their new house looked very nice> Synonyms remark, comment, editorialize, note, observe, opine, reflect, weigh inRelated Words commentate; articulate, express, say, speak, state, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize; conjecture, daresay, guess, speculate, suppose, surmise

8 chiefly Southern & Midland  to have as an opinion <people in these parts allow that everyone is entitled to one mistake in life, even if it's a doozy> Synonyms believe [chiefly Southern & Midland], conceive, consider, deem, esteem, feel, figure, guess, hold, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, thinkRelated Words regard, view; accept, perceive; depend, rely, trust; assume, presume, presuppose, surmise; conclude, deduce, inferNear Antonyms distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, suspect; disbelieve, discredit, reject