allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈa-lə-ˌkāt 

allocated; allocating

transitive verb

1

: to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things : distribute

allocate tasks among human and automated components

2

: to set apart or earmark : designate

allocate a section of the building for special research purposes

allocatable

ˈa-lə-ˌkā-tə-bəl 

adjective

allocation

ˌa-lə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

allocator

ˈa-lə-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• allot
• allow
• apportion
• assign
• distribute
• lot
• ration

Examples of allocate in a Sentence

Money from the sale of the house was allocated to each of the children.

We need to determine the best way to allocate our resources.

Have enough funds been allocated to finance the project?

Recent Examples on the Web

All funds allocated for de-escalation and restraint alternatives were not spent because they were supplemented with grant funding, Walker said. —Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023

Overall, more than half (63%) of CFOs say that less than 1% of their organizations’ budget will be allocated to GenAI next year. —Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2023

It is allocated by the federal agency each year based on a funding formula that takes into account an annual homelessness population count. —John Sharp | [e-mail], al, 11 Sep. 2023

Harris also knows that a new stadium, no matter how much public funding is allocated, will require infusions of capital from himself and fellow owners. —Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2023

Money is also allocated to new public safety jobs and toward some capital improvement projects at the McKinney National Airport and the new city hall and within the Parks and Recreation Department. —Haeven Gibbons, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2023

Previously, the rules allocated delegates by congressional district. —Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023

These assessments will shape the scope of federal assistance and how resources are allocated for each community and survivor. —Latisha Nixon-Jones, CBS News, 31 Aug. 2023

The vehicles will be first allocated to locations the southern U.S., Reeves said. —Isabella Volmert, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin allocātus, past participle of allocāre "to place, stow, hire out, place on hire, allow, admit, credit," from Latin ad- ad- + locāre "to place, situate" — more at locate

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing allocate

• sub-allocate

• sub-allocate

Kids Definition

allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈal-ə-ˌkāt 

allocated; allocating

1

: to divide and distribute for a special reason or to particular persons or things

allocate funds among charities

2

: to set apart for a particular purpose

allocate materials for a project

allocation

ˌal-ə-ˈkā-shən 

noun