allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät How to pronounce allot (audio)
allotted; allotting
Synonyms of allot

transitive verb

1
: to assign as a share or portion
allot 10 minutes for the speech
2
: to distribute by or as if by lot
allot seats to the press
allotter noun

Synonyms of allot

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Examples of allot in a Sentence

Each speaker will be allotted 15 minutes. The newspaper will allot a full page to each of the three mayoral candidates.
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.
The House Administration Committee was allotted $10 billion in the House’s budget resolution for election law reforms, as the committee has oversight authority of federal elections. — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 27 July 2026 Instead, an equipment staffer lugged a bag of balls into a side training room and was allotted an hour to massage the footballs to the preferred specifications. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026 The press corps aren’t allotted much space in the White House. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026 During that part of the meeting, attendees who sign up to speak during the meeting are allotted three minutes to address the board. — Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for allot

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alotten, borrowed from Anglo-French aloter, from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -loter, verbal derivative of lot "lot, portion, share," borrowed from Old Low Franconian *hlota-, going back to Germanic *hluta- — more at lot entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allot was in the 15th century

Rhymes for allot

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Browse Nearby Words

allosyndesis
allot
allotee
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Cite this Entry

“Allot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allot. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

allot

verb
al·​lot ə-ˈlät How to pronounce allot (audio)
allotted; allotting
: to assign as a share or portion
allot 10 minutes for the speech

More from Merriam-Webster on allot

Nglish: Translation of allot for Spanish Speakers

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