allow for
verb
allowed for; allowing for; allows for
1
: to think about or plan for (something that will or might happen in the future)
When purchasing property, the company should allow for possible future growth/expansion.
2
: to consider (something) when one makes a calculation
The total distance, allowing for detours, is about 10 miles.
If you allow for inflation, he's actually earning less money now than he was 10 years ago.
3
: to make (something) possible
The design of the system allows for easy upgrades.
Examples of allow for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The only run Cole Pellegrino allowed for Shawsheen was a second-inning homer, pitching six scoreless innings otherwise while allowing three hits and fanning eight to power a 2-1 win over Greater Lowell in the state vocational tournament championship.
—
Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
In Philadelphia, public health officials plan to have a special mobile lab that will allow for on-the-ground testing of various specimens, significantly cutting time and resources that are typically needed to send those samples to specialized labs in other parts of the state or country.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Presidents are elected without strong legislative backing, confront a fragmented Congress, and operate under a constitutional framework that allows for their relatively swift removal.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Defenders of single-family zoning argue that allowing for more housing in single-family neighborhoods would destroy the character of these neighborhoods and lead to the demolition of historic buildings.
—Henry Mantel, Daily News, 27 May 2026
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Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
In Philadelphia, public health officials plan to have a special mobile lab that will allow for on-the-ground testing of various specimens, significantly cutting time and resources that are typically needed to send those samples to specialized labs in other parts of the state or country.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Presidents are elected without strong legislative backing, confront a fragmented Congress, and operate under a constitutional framework that allows for their relatively swift removal.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Defenders of single-family zoning argue that allowing for more housing in single-family neighborhoods would destroy the character of these neighborhoods and lead to the demolition of historic buildings.
—Henry Mantel, Daily News, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for allow for
Cite this Entry
“Allow for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allow%20for. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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