Synonyms of allow

allow

verb

ə-ˈlau̇ 

1

as in to permit

to give permission for or to approve of

flash photography is not allowed inside the church

Synonyms & Similar Words

• permit
• have
• tolerate
• suffer
• stand for
• authorize
• green-light
• admit
• license
• acquiesce
• agree (to)
• concede
• grant
• consent (to)
• OK
• sanction
• accede (to)
• endure
• warrant
• condone
• support
• commission
• assent (to)
• vouchsafe
• accord
• countenance
• brook

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prohibit
• forbid
• enjoin
• hinder
• impede
• ban
• refuse
• obstruct
• veto
• deny
• withhold
• reject
• disallow
• suppress
• revoke
• proscribe
• disapprove
• keep
• restrain
• check
• censure
• dislike
• deplore
• curb
• repress
• interdict
• frown (at or on)
• discountenance
• grudge
• disfavor

2

as in to let

to give permission to

a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission

Synonyms & Similar Words

• let
• permit
• leave
• authorize
• empower
• approve
• endorse
• license
• sanction
• liberate
• indulge
• free
• cater (to)
• give in (to)
• release
• commission
• humor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prohibit
• forbid
• enjoin
• discourage
• prevent
• deter
• impede
• inhibit
• block
• bar
• curb
• constrain
• obstruct
• frustrate
• hold back

3

as in to tolerate

to fail to prevent (some behavior on someone's part) especially from neglect or indifference

only a lazy gardener would allow the weeds to grow that high

Synonyms & Similar Words

• let
• tolerate
• permit
• ignore
• suffer
• put up with
• forgive
• condone
• disregard
• overlook
• excuse
• brush (aside or off)
• pardon
• indulge
• cater (to)
• give in (to)
• wink (at)
• shrug off
• brook
• humor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevent
• prohibit
• block
• bar
• forbid
• constrain
• discourage
• deter
• impede
• inhibit
• interfere (with)
• curb
• frustrate
• hold back

4

as in to admit

to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly

I'll allow I probably said more than I should have

Synonyms & Similar Words

• admit
• confess
• acknowledge
• concede
• agree
• grant
• announce
• reveal
• disclose
• recognize
• own (up to)
• tell
• accept
• confirm
• declare
• unload
• affirm
• inform
• say
• come clean (about)
• expose
• impart
• publish
• profess
• communicate
• warn
• yield
• proclaim
• divulge
• betray
• fess (up)
• talk
• unburden
• spill
• breathe
• disburden
• broadcast
• avow
• unveil
• give away
• whisper
• break
• tip (off)
• leak
• wise (up)
• blab
• tattle
• squeal
• rat

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deny
• disallow
• contradict
• reject
• negate
• negative
• disclaim
• conceal
• dispute
• hide
• refute
• rebut
• cover (up)
• disavow
• repudiate
• disown
• obscure
• veil
• gainsay
• kid (oneself)

5

as in to allot

to give as a share or portion

allowed each camper one match to light his fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

• allot
• assign
• allocate
• distribute
• give
• lot
• apportion
• ration
• divide
• dispense
• measure
• administer
• grant
• split
• portion
• deal
• share (out)
• contribute
• prorate
• hand out
• award
• part
• donate
• reserve
• dole out
• mete (out)
• earmark
• meter
• redistribute
• reassign
• accord
• parcel (out)
• reallocate
• admeasure
• reapportion
• chip in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deny
• retain
• keep
• deprive (of)
• withhold
• begrudge
• stint
• appropriate
• confiscate
• arrogate

6

as in to enable

to make able or possible

a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls

Synonyms & Similar Words

• enable
• let
• empower
• permit
• prepare
• ready
• equip
• approve
• qualify
• endorse
• fit
• condition
• habilitate
• sanction

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevent
• preclude
• inhibit
• prohibit
• forbid
• enjoin
• disallow

7

as in to reflect

to make a statement of one's opinion

he allowed that their new house looked very nice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reflect
• comment
• remark
• opine
• observe
• note
• say
• weigh in
• editorialize
• commentate
• speak
• speculate
• state
• verbalize
• tell
• express
• talk
• suppose
• utter
• articulate
• surmise
• guess
• daresay
• vocalize
• conjecture

8

as in to think

chiefly Southern & Midland to have as an opinion

people in these parts allow that everyone is entitled to one mistake in life, even if it's a doozy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• think
• believe
• consider
• guess
• imagine
• suppose
• deem
• feel
• figure
• hold
• judge
• conceive
• perceive
• accept
• assume
• reckon
• rely
• presume
• regard
• depend
• view
• esteem
• trust
• infer
• conclude
• presuppose
• deduce
• surmise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• doubt
• suspect
• question
• reject
• discredit
• distrust
• mistrust
• disbelieve

9

as in to intend

chiefly Southern & Midland to have in mind as a purpose or goal

I allow to go hunting before the season is over

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intend
• plan
• try
• go
• contemplate
• hope
• mean
• aim
• wish
• look
• propose
• calculate
• purpose
• purport
• aspire
• attempt
• design
• consider
• meditate
• figure on
• strive
• dream
• struggle
• achieve
• perform
• accomplish
• ponder
• execute
• debate
• endeavor
• scheme
• effect
• mull (over)
• plot

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of allow

The council’s Zoning Committee voted 6-1 on Monday to table legislation that would allow Digital Realty to build a $500 million data center. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 15 July 2026

Companies are going head-to-head with one another, rolling out more powerful AI tools that allow people to quickly generate text, code, images, videos and other content. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Idaho lawmakers passed a joint resolution last year to put a constitutional amendment before voters, asking them to allow only the Legislature, not the voters, the power to legalize marijuana, narcotics and other psychoactive drugs. — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2026

Parts of the forest have been closed to visitors, and Minnesota’s governor Tim Walz has declared an emergency to allow the National Guard and other resources to assist with the fires. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 14 July 2026

Phrases Containing allow

• allow (for)
• allow (of)