ALLOWS Synonyms: 291 Similar and Opposite Words

allows

verb

present tense third-person singular of allow

as in permits

to give permission for or to approve of flash photography is not allowed inside the church

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Relevance

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as in lets

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

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as in tolerates

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

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as in admits

to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly I'll allow I probably said more than I should have

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as in allots

to give as a share or portion allowed each camper one match to light his fire

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as in enables

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

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as in reflects

to make a statement of one's opinion he allowed that their new house looked very nice

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as in believes

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

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as in intends

chiefly Southern & Midland to have in mind as a purpose or goal I allow to go hunting before the season is over

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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 allows The restricted operations status, which the department introduced in August amid flare-ups in the war with Iran, allows embassies to reduce staffing and services without fully suspending operations. — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Breaking the law can trigger Boise’s nuisance abatement process, which allows city staff to come in and clear the problem, possibly billing a property owner for associated costs. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026 Owning the Discover payment network allows the company to collect more of the fees merchants pay when customers use their cards — like American Express , which issues cards and owns its payment network. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 In a separate case, the justices will examine whether parents have the right to challenge a state law that allows runaway teens to receive gender-affirming care without parental consent. — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026 State law allows a penalty of up to $5,000 per violation and directs that all of the money go to New Mexico's school system, Torrez told reporters after the verdict. — Reuters, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026 The approach allows manufacturing techniques to evolve alongside the robot’s mechanical design. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 The platform’s new Preferred Sources feature allows users to select outlets to prioritize in their search results and Google News feeds so that whenever major Hollywood news breaks, our stories will pop up first. — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 State law allows cities of Roseville’s size to establish council salaries of $2,550 per month, although the city’s charter must be amended by voters before the new compensation rules can take effect. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for allows

Verb

The federal program also permits scholarships for qualifying educational expenses that can benefit eligible public school students.

— Claudia Nachtigal, Baltimore Sun, 21 Oct. 2026
Florida law permits news-media witnesses at executions while prohibiting cameras in the observation room.

— Richard Nichols, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of permits

Verb

Even if your skin generally tolerates exfoliation well, dermatologists warn that AHAs can increase sun sensitivity, making your skin more vulnerable to UV damage.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
Start with a small glass (about 4 ounces) and gradually increase as your body tolerates it.

— Lindsey DeSoto, HEALTH, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tolerates

Verb

Big 12 admits end-of-game error The Big 12 issued a statement acknowledging its officials erred by not allowing Notre Dame one more play when the game clock showed one second remained when CJ Carr’s incomplete pass hit the ground on the final play.

— Mark Long, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The ongoing legal troubles compounded the stress the Hollywood couple was already dealing with and things almost took a really wrong turn, Mangianello admits.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of admits

Verb

Hinson said the bill’s reductions to Medicaid spending for Iowa will be offset by the Rural Health Transformation Program, which allots $50 billion divided among all 50 states over the next five years.

— Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
When a team allots minutes to so many young players simultaneously, lapses in concentration and on-court mistakes are bound to happen.

— Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

Definition of allots

Verb

The project also reflects the increasing importance of reliable manufacturing capacity in industries that depend on sophisticated electronic, sensing and space-related technologies.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
This roster also reflects The District’s appeal to brands expanding selectively — with Adam Lippes, Pucci, Altuzarra and Maison Francis Kurkdjian choosing it for their Texas debuts, alongside Biologique Recherche’s sole Texas residence.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of reflects

Verb

Cancio also believes rising rents are to blame for the struggling businesses on Miracle Mile and the rest of the Gables commercial district.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
The 20-minute call, which Aris believes the military monitored, offered a rare glimpse of how the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate is being held.

— Lorcan Lovett, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026