1
as in to permit
to give permission for or to approve of
flash photography is not allowed inside the church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to let
to give permission to
a boarding school that does not allow students to go on weekend trips without written permission
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to tolerate
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to admit
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
I'll allow I probably said more than I should have
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to allot
to give as a share or portion
allowed each camper one match to light his fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to enable
to make able or possible
a patient's canceled appointment allowed the doctor to squeeze in a few extra phone calls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to reflect
to make a statement of one's opinion
he allowed that their new house looked very nice
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in to think
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in to intend
chiefly Southern & Midland
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I allow to go hunting before the season is over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of allow
In Kentucky, state law allows cities and counties to enact zoning regulations specifying how land is and is not to be used and dictate dimensions and other characteristics of structures, among other rules.
—
Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
That sum would allow the city to address an ongoing shortage in shelter beds — there is only one bed available for every five people who need one — and to expand permanent supportive housing services.
—Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
What Needs To Be Done? Some focus has been placed on reducing concussions in the sport—with the NFL allowing players to wear Guardian Caps, extra head protection intended to reduce head injuries, during play as well as in practice.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
That approval came in September, allowing the company to market the feature as an over-the-counter medical tool.
—Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for allow
Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
That sum would allow the city to address an ongoing shortage in shelter beds — there is only one bed available for every five people who need one — and to expand permanent supportive housing services.
—Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
What Needs To Be Done? Some focus has been placed on reducing concussions in the sport—with the NFL allowing players to wear Guardian Caps, extra head protection intended to reduce head injuries, during play as well as in practice.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
That approval came in September, allowing the company to market the feature as an over-the-counter medical tool.
—Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for allow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allow
Verb
-
If time permits, disconnect utilities and appliances.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 July 2025
-
Filling in for Armstead last season, Paul permitted three sacks and 15 pressures in 229 pass blocking chances, and PFF rated him 81st (worst) among tackles as a run blocker.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
New features and technologies elevate the quality of car audio, letting brands famous for everything from the loudspeakers at Woodstock to today’s most immersive theaters take their act on the road.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
27 July 2025
-
Having to buy him out and letting a contender sign him for nothing would be a tough pill to swallow.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
Verb
-
How Safe Is Fulvic Acid For Skin According to Dr. Goldenberg, fulvic acid is generally well tolerated, even by sensitive, acne- or rosacea-prone skin.—
Noma Nazish,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Hosta is easy to grow and tolerates some challenging sites such as heavy shade and nearby black walnut trees.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
31 July 2025
Verb
-
When asked about the performance comparison with Verstappen, Tsunoda admitted that his teammate was the best driver on the grid at present, but refused to be compared with him.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Farley admitted Ford is a bit out of sync with some of its competitors, who have a full EV lineup.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Most schools are allotting about 75 percent of that to football.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
-
Connor dealt with injuries throughout the majority of his college career, but a redshirt year and COVID-19 campaign allotted him six seasons.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
This enables the high-magnitude flow of campaign donations toward pollution-friendly actions in Tallahassee.—
Mel Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
22 July 2025
-
The Tizen team provides comprehensive technical and marketing support, enabling an agile go-to-market process.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
Currently, charting songs from ten of those performers equal 50 percent of the all-genre Hot 100 charts' top 20 and 40 percent of the top 50 hits, reflecting Nashville's influence.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
26 July 2025
-
Sandler is also an avid sports fan, which is often reflected in his films.—
Skyler Trepel,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
After her previous album, Estelle thought she was finished making albums.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
31 July 2025
-
When thinking about Sterling Sharpe, one of the first people that comes to LeRoy Butler’s mind is the legendary bodybuilder Lee Haney.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Allow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allow. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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