plural allies
1
a
: a country that supports and helps another country in a war
the nation's closest ally
b
: the nations that fought together against Germany in World War I or World War II
fought with the Allies in World War II
2
: a person or group that gives help to another person or group
She's counting on her allies in the state legislature.
a powerful ally
The teacher's union has found an unlikely ally in the company. [=the company supports the position that the union has taken and this was not expected]
allies; allied; allying
: to join (yourself) with another person, group, etc., in order to get or give support
—often + with or to
She's allied herself with the moderates on this issue.
countries allying themselves with the EU
He'll even admit that he's hoping to ally himself to a wealthy family by marriage.
They've allied with their former enemies.
Cite this Entry
“Ally.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/ally. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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