Synonyms and Antonyms of allow
1
to give permission for or to approve of
- flash photography is not allowed inside the church
authorize, commission, license (also licence)
accede (to), acquiesce, agree (to), assent (to), consent (to), OK (or okay), warrant
accord, concede, grant, sanction, vouchsafe
admit, brook, condone, countenance, endure, support, tolerate
hinder, impede, obstruct
censure, disallow, disapprove, deny, interdict, refuse, reject, revoke, suppress, withhold
deplore, discountenance, disfavor, dislike, frown (at or on), grudge
check, curb, keep, repress, restrain
2
to give permission to
- a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission
authorize, commission, empower, license (also licence)
approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction
free, liberate, release
cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge
deter, discourage
bar, block, constrain, curb, frustrate, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent
3
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
brush (aside or off), condone, disregard, ignore, overlook, shrug off, wink (at)
excuse, forgive, pardon
brook, cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge
4
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
- I'll allow I probably said more than I should have
disburden, unburden, unload
affirm, avow, confirm, profess
accept, recognize, yield
announce, break, broadcast, communicate, declare, disclose, divulge, impart, proclaim, publish, reveal, spill, tell, unveil
betray, blab, expose, give away, inform, leak, rat, squeal, talk, tattle, tip (off), warn, wise (up)
breathe, say, whisper
disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown
contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative
rebut, refute, reject, repudiate
conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil
kid (oneself)
5
to give as a share or portion
- allowed each camper one match to light his fire
admeasure, administer, deal, dispense, divide, dole out, hand out, measure, mete (out), meter, parcel (out), part, portion, prorate, share (out), split
accord, award, give, grant
earmark, reserve
chip in, contribute, donate
reallocate, reapportion, reassign, redistribute
6
to make able or possible
- a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls
7
to make a statement of one's opinion
- he allowed that their new house looked very nice
commentate
articulate, express, say, speak, state, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize
conjecture, daresay, guess, speculate, suppose, surmise
8
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
believe, conceive, consider, deem, esteem, feel, figure, guess, hold, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, think
9
chiefly Southern & Midland
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
- I allow to go hunting before the season is over
aim, aspire, calculate, contemplate, design, go [chiefly Southern & Midland], intend, look, mean, meditate, plan, propose, purport, purpose
dream, hope, wish
consider, debate, mull (over), ponder
attempt, endeavor, strive, struggle, try
plot, scheme
accomplish, achieve, effect, execute, perform
