1
as in to permit
to give permission for or to approve of
flash photography is not allowed inside the church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to let
to give permission to
a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to tolerate
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to admit
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
I'll allow I probably said more than I should have
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to allot
to give as a share or portion
allowed each camper one match to light his fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to enable
to make able or possible
a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to reflect
to make a statement of one's opinion
he allowed that their new house looked very nice
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in to think
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in to intend
chiefly Southern & Midland
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I allow to go hunting before the season is over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of allow
Schlittler did allow some traffic before things unraveled in the fifth, permitting a walk and a single to start the inning.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
Hulls said the fund allows property owners to support local businesses without dramatically increasing rents as market conditions change.
—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Mets starter Freddy Peralta allowed three runs, all unearned, and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings.
—
Jerry Beach,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
Trump’s critics, especially in Israel, worry that the agreement effectively allows Iran to repair a proxy force diminished by months of Israeli pummeling.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for allow
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
Hulls said the fund allows property owners to support local businesses without dramatically increasing rents as market conditions change.
—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Mets starter Freddy Peralta allowed three runs, all unearned, and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings.
—
Jerry Beach,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
Trump’s critics, especially in Israel, worry that the agreement effectively allows Iran to repair a proxy force diminished by months of Israeli pummeling.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for allow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allow
Verb
-
Recreational swimming is not permitted, yet anglers fishing for tilapia, largemouth bass and carp are a common sight along the rocky sides of the soft-bottom areas.
-
The Boston southpaw didn’t permit a baserunner until Spencer Jones, who botched a ball in center field a half-inning later, singled in the sixth inning.
Verb
-
The longtime head coach of Alameda High School baseball says he was suddenly let go after 25 years leading the program, a decision that's now drawing backlash from players, parents, and the community.
-
These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
Verb
-
This is because many people tolerate the early dose reductions fairly well but struggle more near the end of the taper because the brain becomes increasingly sensitive to serotonin changes at lower doses.
-
Six years later, an ostensibly secret but broadly tolerated Remonstrant church was established in Delft.
Verb
-
The company agreed to settle the case without admitting liability.
-
But even Willis admits AI can be a helpful tool in the right capacity.
Verb
-
This thing is seriously massive, featuring way too many goodies to list in the space allotted here.
-
The government is required to allot 90 days between the dissolution of the Knesset and the election, so the latest possible day the parliament can be dissolved is July 29.
Verb
-
That political independence has enabled the Fed to make decisions that might be unpopular in the short term, but that have the best interests of the US economy in mind for the long term.
-
The service enables anyone to show up at a DASH office with a package less than 16 ounces and get it on the next flight out, subject to Transportation Security Administration regulations.
Verb
-
Trump blames vandalism for the troubles with the reflecting pool renovation, announces people are being arrested.
-
The first-of-its-kind event reflected a party eager to experiment and broaden its appeal beyond the traditional political crowd.
Verb
-
Authors think humans might just be able to leverage a few tools at our disposal to change the course of huge weather events.
-
But in thinking about all these different groups, Krieger said a battery storage system may be a type of technology that everyone can get behind.
Cite this Entry
“Allow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allow. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
