allow

verb

al·​low ə-ˈlau̇ 

allowed; allowing; allows

transitive verb

1

a

: permit

doesn't allow people to smoke in his home

b

: to fail to restrain or prevent

allow the dog to roam

2

a

: 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

4

a

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

3

: to give an opportunity : permit

She worked on the project here and there as time allowed.

This should take 5 minutes for 1 strength-cardio circuit combo. If time allows, repeat once more for a 10-minute workout or twice more for a 15-minute workout.

—Tracy Teare

This plan is being implemented in phases as funding allows.

—Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier

Synonyms of allow

• permit
• have

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

Trades would be allowed, and free agents would be clear to sign with their current clubs, but not new ones. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Iceland is also a member of the Schengen Area, which allows passport-free travel between it and other participating European countries. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

This allows developers to test and fine-tune navigation policies in environments that more closely match where a robot could eventually operate. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

And there was already precedent at the state level, in Massachusetts, of courts allowing this kind of claim to proceed. — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alowen, allowen "to commend, approve of, legally recognize, permit, take into account, compensate," borrowed from Anglo-French aluer, aloer "to place, allot, commend, accept as legally valid, permit, take into account, assess," probably in part from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + loer "to praise," going back to Latin laudāre; in part going back to Medieval Latin allocāre "to place, admit, credit" — more at laud entry 2, allocate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Phrases Containing allow

• allow as how
• allow for
• allow of

Rhymes for allow

• avow
• chiao
• endow
• eyebrow
• highbrow
• lanao
• meow
• powwow
• somehow
• anyhow
• carabao
• disallow

Kids Definition

allow

verb

al·​low ə-ˈlau̇ 

1

a

: to assign as a share or suitable amount (as of time or money)

b

: to take into consideration as a deduction or an addition

allow a gallon for leakage

2

: admit sense 1b, concede

allowed that the situation was serious

3

: permit entry 1

gaps allow passage

will not allow smoking

4

: to give thought to what will probably happen later

allow for growth

allowable

-ə-bəl

adjective

allowably

-blē

adverb

Legal Definition

allow

transitive verb

al·​low ə-ˈlau̇ 

: to give approval of or permission for: as

a

: to grant fulfillment of

allowed her petition for relief

b

: to decide in favor of

allow a deduction on a tax return

c

: to permit to be presented

allows his claim

more jurisdictions will allow the cause of action

allowability

ə-ˌlau̇-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

allowable

ə-ˈlau̇-ə-bəl 

adjective