allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈa-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce allocate (audio)
allocated; allocating

transitive verb

1
: to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things : distribute
allocate tasks among human and automated components
2
: to set apart or earmark : designate
allocate a section of the building for special research purposes
allocatable adjective
allocation noun
allocator noun

Examples of allocate in a Sentence

Money from the sale of the house was allocated to each of the children. We need to determine the best way to allocate our resources. Have enough funds been allocated to finance the project?
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There are 4,550 spaces allocated for residents, 2,100 spaces for entertainment center visitors and 390 spaces for store and restaurant patrons. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025 More than $25 million was allocated to homelessness programs in Berkeley for the last fiscal year, but the city now faces an annual $20 million structural deficit, the state is grappling with a strained budget of its own and federal social services are being cut. Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025 John tells fellow Hawaiians of the wisdom kept in this game like how the stone carvings from hundreds of years ago are believed to have been used as an abacus-esque device for managing and allocating land. Matt Negrin, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025 Organize liquidity needs Even your cash needs should be thoughtfully allocated and not all lumped into one savings account or money market fund. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for allocate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin allocātus, past participle of allocāre "to place, stow, hire out, place on hire, allow, admit, credit," from Latin ad- ad- + locāre "to place, situate" — more at locate

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allocate was in 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allocate. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

allocate

verb
al·​lo·​cate ˈal-ə-ˌkāt How to pronounce allocate (audio)
allocated; allocating
1
: to divide and distribute for a special reason or to particular persons or things
allocate funds among charities
2
: to set apart for a particular purpose
allocate materials for a project
allocation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on allocate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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