allow

verb

ə-ˈlau̇ How to pronounce allow (audio)
Definition of allownext
1
as in to permit
to give permission for or to approve of flash photography is not allowed inside the church

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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

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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

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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

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5
as in to allot
to give as a share or portion allowed each camper one match to light his fire

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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

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7
as in to reflect
to make a statement of one's opinion he allowed that their new house looked very nice

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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

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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

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Examples of allow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is not a time to sit back and let the waves of change wash over us or allow one voice to dominate our technology choices. —Vivek Wadhwa, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2024 However, like China, Pakistan now requires registration by all users of virtual private networks (VPNs), software which allow users to pass their communications through a secure, private channel and change their online location. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 10 Sep. 2024 Though they’re sometimes relegated to an aesthetic afterthought, deck stairs can be more than a functional bit of construction meant to allow access to your deck or your property below. —Steven John, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2024 Trent Williams, despite no training camp and just a few practices, did not allow a pressure on 33 pass-blocking snaps and his first such pressure-free game in two years, per NextGen Stats. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for allow 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'allow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Phrases Containing allow

Thesaurus Entries Near allow

all over the place

allow

allowable

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Cite this Entry

“Allow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allow. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on allow

Nglish: Translation of allow for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of allow for Arabic Speakers

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