allow

1 to give permission for or to approve of flash photography is not allowed inside the church Synonyms green-light, have, permit, suffer Related Words 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 Phrases stand for Near Antonyms 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 Antonyms ban, enjoin, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, veto

2 to give permission to a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission Synonyms leave, let, permit Related Words authorize, commission, empower, license (also licence); approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; free, liberate, release; cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge Near Antonyms deter, discourage; bar, block, constrain, curb, frustrate, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent Antonyms enjoin, forbid, prohibit

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 Synonyms let, permit, suffer, tolerate Related Words brush (aside or off), condone, disregard, ignore, overlook, shrug off, wink (at); excuse, forgive, pardon; brook, cater (to), give in (to), humor, indulge Phrases put up with Near Antonyms forbid, prohibit; curb, deter, discourage, frustrate, hold back, impede, inhibit, interfere (with) Antonyms bar, block, constrain, prevent

4 to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly I'll allow I probably said more than I should have Synonyms acknowledge, agree, admit, concede, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to)Related Words 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, whisperNear Antonyms disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown; contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative; rebut, refute, reject, repudiate; conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil; kid (oneself)Antonyms deny

5 to give as a share or portion allowed each camper one match to light his fire Synonyms allocate, allot, apportion, assign, distribute, lot, rationRelated Words 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, redistributeNear Antonyms begrudge, deny, deprive (of); keep, retain, stint, withhold; appropriate, arrogate, confiscate

6 to make able or possible a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls Synonyms enable, empower, let, permitRelated Words fit, habilitate, prepare, qualify, ready; approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; condition, equipNear Antonyms inhibit, preclude; disallow, enjoin, forbid, prohibitAntonyms prevent

7 to make a statement of one's opinion he allowed that their new house looked very nice Synonyms remark, comment, editorialize, note, observe, opine, reflect, weigh inRelated Words 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 Synonyms believe [chiefly Southern & Midland], conceive, consider, deem, esteem, feel, figure, guess, hold, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, thinkRelated Words regard, view; accept, perceive; depend, rely, trust; assume, presume, presuppose, surmise; conclude, deduce, inferNear Antonyms distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, suspect; disbelieve, discredit, reject

9 chiefly Southern & Midland  to have in mind as a purpose or goal I allow to go hunting before the season is over Synonyms aim, intend [chiefly Southern & Midland], aspire, calculate, contemplate, design, go [chiefly Southern & Midland], look, mean, meditate, plan, propose, purport, purposeRelated Words dream, hope, wish; consider, debate, mull (over), ponder; attempt, endeavor, strive, struggle, try; plot, scheme; accomplish, achieve, effect, execute, perform