allowance

noun

ə-ˈlau̇-ən(t)s How to pronounce allowance (audio)
Definition of allowancenext
1
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group as the war progressed, each family's allowance of sugar and flour was reduced

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something without the official allowance of the school board, no organization can hold its meetings on school property

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 allowance In addition to base pay, all campus presidents are either provided housing or get an annual housing allowance between $60,000 and $80,000. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The plan also provides 500 monthly credits for 19 premium models, plus access to a pro model with its own weekly usage allowance. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 Grocery allowances, utility support, and home safety items can help people remain healthier and more independent in their homes. — Aimée K. Dailey, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Most of the funding provided by the state comes from what is called the foundation allowance. — Jason Burns, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for allowance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allowance
  1. portion
  2. permission
  3. share
  4. authorization
  5. part
  6. granting
  7. quota
  8. consent
Noun
  • An extreme heat warning is currently in place for Death Valley, which is the lowest, hottest and driest portion of the North American continent and the United States’ largest national park outside of Alaska.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In SouthPark or South Charlotte, Little Mamas offers family-sized portions of chicken or eggplant Parmesan ($53 and $32, respectively) that feed two to three people — and that’s likely to stretch further with little ones.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of portion
Noun
  • The mini mart gave permission to The Original Goodie Shop bakery in Upper Arlington to use its logo on a signature cookie, with $1 from each one sold going to support Beaver's legal fees.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Tracey Bogan said in a January lawsuit that her horse Kodak suffered an eye injury at Reform Stables in Charlotte when Desmon Moore, who runs the boarding and equine event business, rode him without permission last Christmas.
    — Amber Gaudet Updated August 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of permission
Noun
  • York became the principal owner of the 49ers in 2024 after purchasing equity shares from his family.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • These questions challenge candidates to acknowledge mistakes and share credit—the antithesis of their natural motivation to self-aggrandize and create a heroic image of their impact.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of share
Noun
  • Culture Minister Isaac Tchiakpé rejected RSF’s assertion that the filmmakers had received authorization from his ministry to carry out the documentary shoot.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Without work authorizations and the ability to drive, many have chosen for now, to remain home behind closed doors.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of authorization
Noun
  • Utah officials view the partnership as another part of the state’s broader effort to increase energy production.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Aug. 2026
  • As part of the deal, TCS will acquire Porsche's IT consulting business, MHP, for 320 million euros, the company said in a release.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • The Department of Homeland Security has appealed the granting of his asylum.
    — Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • While the granting or denial of a stay might sound like legal jargon, there are real-world implications at stake.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of granting
Noun
  • The move raised the tariff-rate quota on Argentine beef by 80,000 metric tons.
    — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Imports above those quotas can face prohibitively high tariffs, effectively restricting additional US dairy sales.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of quota
Noun
  • He was also found guilty in June of one count each of fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and driving or taking a vehicle without consent.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Eventually, Copilot provided a stunning Microsoft trade secret—an undocumented prompt parameter that completely bypassed the requirement for user consent.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of consent

Browse Nearby Words

allowable
allowance
allowances
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allowance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allowance. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All