allow

verb

al·low | \ ə-ˈlau̇

allowed; allowing; allows

Definition of allow

transitive verb

1a : permit doesn't allow people to smoke in his home

b : to fail to restrain or prevent allow the dog to roam

2a : to assign as a share or suitable amount (as of time or money) allow an hour for lunch

b : to reckon as a deduction or an addition allow a gallon for leakage

3 : admit, concede must allow that money causes problems in marriage

4a chiefly Southern US and Midland US : to be of the opinion : think

b dialect : say, state

c : to express an opinion —usually used with as how or that

5 chiefly Southern US and Midland US : intend, plan

intransitive verb

1 : to make a possibility : admit —used with of evidence that allows of only one conclusion

2 : to give consideration to circumstances or contingencies —used with for a plan that allows for expansion

Other Words from allow Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about allow

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Examples of allow in a Sentence

a religion that does not allow divorce They don't allow smoking in this hotel. I want to change my schedule, but my boss won't allow it. My boss wouldn't allow me to change my schedule. They don't allow people to smoke in this hotel. Women were not allowed in the club. The hospital doesn't allow visitors after 8 p.m. Her schedule doesn't allow her any time to run errands. The system allows you to transfer data easily from one computer to another. Occasional gaps allow passage through the mountains.

Recent Examples on the Web

Remove from the heat, stir in the chia seeds, and allow the mixture to cool. — Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, "Sakara Brings Healthy Eating Home With Their New Made-for-Instagram Cookbook," 19 Mar. 2019 For bed linens and curtains, a subtle palette in creamy shades with lots of texture keeps things tranquil while allowing the accessories to make the biggest impact. — Heather Corcoran, ELLE Decor, "How to Bring Old Hollywood Into Your Home," 19 Mar. 2019 Though even cutting off pi at 15 digits allows for extremely precise measurements. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "The math of pi explained, as simply as possible," 13 Mar. 2019 Podcast apps could solve this problem by allowing users to opt-in, says Jake Shapiro, co-founder of the listening app RadioPublic. — Ashley Carman, The Verge, "NPR wants to know what podcast ads you skip," 27 Dec. 2018 Five's power allows him to jump through space and time. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "All of The Umbrella Academy's Powers, Explained," 25 Feb. 2019 On Wednesday, Trump said an Alabama woman who joined the Islamic State will not be allowed back into the United States. — Karla Adam, The Seattle Times, "Shamima Begum, teenager who joined ISIS, to lose UK citizenship," 20 Feb. 2019 That allows for a wider scanning area and should result in better unlocking accuracy. — Michael Simon, PCWorld, "10 Samsung Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+ features that actually surprised us," 20 Feb. 2019 The process of thawing and refreezing can disrupt the bacteria and mold that naturally grow in aging food, allowing them to multiply when the temperature rises enough. — Christina Oehler, Woman's Day, "This Is How Long Frozen Meat Is Good For," 22 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'allow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.