allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät How to pronounce allot (audio)
allotted; allotting

transitive verb

1
: to assign as a share or portion
allot 10 minutes for the speech
2
: to distribute by or as if by lot
allot seats to the press
allotter noun

Examples of allot in a Sentence

Each speaker will be allotted 15 minutes. The newspaper will allot a full page to each of the three mayoral candidates.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Not coincidentally, Democratic congressional candidates received the bulk of AIPAC funding in 2024: 58.6 percent, as opposed to the 38.5 percent allotted to Republicans. Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025 As Purdue updates its plans, IU has allotted hundreds of millions of dollars to build multiple major facilities, including an 11-story School of Medicine building and a 4,500-seat athletics center, on its downtown campus in the next few years. Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 One example: Earlier this month, Texas passed a law that increases by $100 million the amount allotted to movies and TV shows every two years. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025 Critics are increasingly branding Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as a failure, including lawmakers fiercely debating how much funding to allot next year to the controversial agency. ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for allot

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alotten, borrowed from Anglo-French aloter, from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -loter, verbal derivative of lot "lot, portion, share," borrowed from Old Low Franconian *hlota-, going back to Germanic *hluta- — more at lot entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allot was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allot. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

allot

verb
al·​lot ə-ˈlät How to pronounce allot (audio)
allotted; allotting
: to assign as a share or portion
allot 10 minutes for the speech

More from Merriam-Webster on allot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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