allocate

verb

ˈa-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce allocate (audio)
Definition of allocatenext
1
as in to allot
to give as a share or portion not enough computers to allocate one to every student

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to distribute
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals allocated the housework in such a way that the older kids got more than the younger ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dedicate
to keep or intend for a special purpose sliced the strawberries after first allocating all the nicest ones for the top of the cake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of allocate At the end of the third quarter, 61% of its foreign currency reserves were allocated to government bonds, including deposits with central banks and the Bank for International Settlements, while 28% were invested in equities and 11% in other bonds. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 The 1922 Colorado River Compact — the agreement that determines how much of the river’s water to allocate to seven states — simultaneously overestimated the long-term supply of water and underestimated the demand. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026 The comptroller’s office told the Daily News the report highlights the need to allocate school budgets equitably, and urged decision-makers to use the trends to guide discussions in the months to come. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026 When seats are first allocated, each pair is treated as a single list with their votes combined, as long as both partners clear the threshold. — Dov Waxman, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for allocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allocate
  1. allot
  2. distribute
  3. dedicate
  4. assign
  5. dispense
  6. devote
  7. provide
  8. save
Verb
  • The daylong program would be divided into ten-minute segments, with one lighting cue and one sound cue allotted for each.
    — Nolan Kelly, Artforum, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Pirates, Meyer said, do not spend all the money they are allotted to sign draft picks.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of allot
Verb
  • The procedural dispute centers on a requirement to distribute amendment text to circuit court clerks for public posting, which lawmakers retroactively repealed.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The combination of large-scale pre-training, distributed post-training and feedback-driven learning after deployment forms the basis of GO-3 Preview.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of distribute
Verb
  • But, the office said, the Los Angeles Police Department dedicates additional units during peak periods of congestion in the Lake Hollywood area to conduct traffic and parking enforcement.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The over 200 Invitation Homes associates who live and work in Georgia dedicate themselves to providing our local residents with a positive experience throughout their stay with us.
    — Monique John, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of dedicate
Verb
  • However, coordinating multiple agents remains difficult because humans must still assign tasks, monitor progress and resolve conflicts between their outputs.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Hochul signed an executive order in October assigning New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate the case.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of assign
Verb
  • Reaching stratospheric financial targets requires launching incredible numbers of Starlink and Starmind satellites, all of which can be dispensed like Pez candy into space.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The nozzle is also very slim, which helps the liquidy formula dispense more precisely onto my fingers without running everywhere.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispense
Verb
  • Having survived Auschwitz, Eger devoted her life to helping Vietnam veterans and others confront trauma, guilt and grief.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Sound Moves to the Foreground Seminci also devotes a major retrospective to the role of sound in cinema.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of devote
Verb
  • The sommelier was knowledgeable and provided us with pairings that spanned traditional offerings like cheeses, as well as some surprising additions like home fries and oxtail.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Magnet Originals will provide advice and production support for media personalities, including Justin Tranter, Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman, and former NBA star Byron Scott.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of provide
Verb
  • Yes, but this doesn’t save a business from the compliance nightmare.
    — Daniel Kjellén, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The first in the ACOTAR series, the romantasy novel introduces us to Feyre Archeron, a human woman who agrees to go live in the fairie realm of Prythian in order to save her family.
    — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of save

Browse Nearby Words

all-night
allocate
allocated
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Cite this Entry

“Allocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allocate. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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