al·lo·cate
ˈa-lə-ˌkāt 
allocated; allocating
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
Examples of allocate in a Sentence
Verb
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
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
This is a gathering problem, especially when coupled with stresses on brittle supply chains, raising questions about whether new space funding can be allocated in a timely manner.
—Michael P. Dempsey, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026
To create a dedicated space for art—which had previously been tucked in with the dinosaur bones at the Natural History Museum—the county allocated a ten-acre site, next to the La Brea Tar Pits, along Wilshire Boulevard, at a midway point between downtown and the beach.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Those buyers are a key part of SpaceX’s strategy in the IPO, with as much as 30% of the $75 billion offering allocated to the group, Bloomberg News has reported.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for allocate
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Verb
Separately, the administration swiped $35 million allocated to needy children and drug prevention to pay for efforts to kill that amendment and another legalizing marijuana.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
This is a gathering problem, especially when coupled with stresses on brittle supply chains, raising questions about whether new space funding can be allocated in a timely manner.
—Michael P. Dempsey, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026
To create a dedicated space for art—which had previously been tucked in with the dinosaur bones at the Natural History Museum—the county allocated a ten-acre site, next to the La Brea Tar Pits, along Wilshire Boulevard, at a midway point between downtown and the beach.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Those buyers are a key part of SpaceX’s strategy in the IPO, with as much as 30% of the $75 billion offering allocated to the group, Bloomberg News has reported.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for allocate
Cite this Entry
“Allocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allocate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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