allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät 

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

Synonyms

• allocate
• allow
• apportion
• assign
• distribute
• lot
• ration

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

Last week, dozens of journalists were allotted 10-minute interviews with Wilmore and, separately, Suni Williams. —ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025

Be sure to allot two to three hours to explore each town. —Haley Harrison, AFAR Media, 10 Apr. 2025

While Medicaid and Medicare haven't been specified as areas to cut, the committee will have to make final decisions, and Medicaid and Medicare are allotted a considerable portion of the committee's funding. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools plans to increase the number of students allotted per teacher in high schools next year due to budget concerns. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for allot

• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot
• distraught

Kids Definition

allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät 

allotted; allotting

: to assign as a share or portion

allot 10 minutes for the speech