allow

verb

al·​low ə-ˈlau̇ How to pronounce allow (audio)
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

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
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.
Use the Mega Backdoor Roth to Boost Tax-Free Savings If your 401(k) plan allows after-tax contributions and in-plan Roth conversions or rollovers to a Roth IRA, consider using the Mega Backdoor Roth strategy. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 20 May 2025 According to the press release, Hodge bought his ticket online to participate in the Thursday, May 8, drawing and used the Quick Pick option, which allows the terminal or the retailer to randomly select the numbers for you. Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 20 May 2025 Both players and umpires also have informally raised the possibility of ABS including a buffer zone that would allow certain close calls to stand even if they are overturned by the system. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 19 May 2025 White House pushes back on Walmart plan to raise prices because of Trump's tariffs 12:44 PM EDT Supreme Court allows legal protections to be stripped from 350,000 Venezuelans A Supreme Court ruling on Monday will allow the Trump to strip legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for allow

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of allow was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Allow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allow. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

allow

verb
al·​low ə-ˈlau̇ How to pronounce allow (audio)
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 How to pronounce allow (audio)
: 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 adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on allow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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