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
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Recent Examples of allow
He would, however, be gladly welcomed there, in strict compliance with the rules of the sanctuary, where no physical interaction between humans and great apes is allowed.
—
Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
That far out in the field and the thunder of the spectator’s cheers would drown out the footfalls of Pal’s competitors, and so the number three would put the colt closer to the center of action and increase the odds of victory—should he be allowed to run.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Ruiz criticized Democrats who have opposed the SAVE Act as doing so to allow undocumented immigrants the ability to vote.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
The new state law allows urban housing developments to bypass California Environmental Quality Act review.
—Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allow
Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
That far out in the field and the thunder of the spectator’s cheers would drown out the footfalls of Pal’s competitors, and so the number three would put the colt closer to the center of action and increase the odds of victory—should he be allowed to run.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Ruiz criticized Democrats who have opposed the SAVE Act as doing so to allow undocumented immigrants the ability to vote.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
The new state law allows urban housing developments to bypass California Environmental Quality Act review.
—Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allow
Verb
-
Those operators will be permitted to deduct certain operating expenses from taxable gross income that were previously prohibited, such as payroll, rent, utilities and insurance.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Choose one interaction to handle with calm and clarity today, and let that set a steadier tone for everything that follows.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Start the conversation, make your point clearly, and let the response shape what happens next instead of adjusting midstream.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
It would be dedicated to the heroic patience with which Americans have tolerated billionaires like him for so very long.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
If investors and consumers begin to think the Fed is willing to tolerate higher inflation, expectations of future inflation—which can be just as influential as the real thing—can drift upward, making price growth harder to contain.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Struijk’s error was punished, but nobody in white gave a good account of themselves during an opening period in which Daniel Farke admitted there was nervousness in his line-up.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Google chose to settle without admitting fault.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They are allotted 90 days to work with each patient, usually during home visits.—
Paula Span,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Clarkson filed another lawsuit against her ex and the management company, claiming she should get paid more than the amount allotted.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The full expansion enables adults with incomes of up to 138% of the federal poverty level — amounting to $22,025 for a single person this year — to be eligible for Medicaid, the government program covering people with low incomes or disabilities.—
Phil Galewitz,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Marketing professor Jonah Berger emphasizes that understanding linguistics can enhance our communication skills, enabling us to fit in, persuade, engage, and positively influence others, especially with the aid of advanced language analysis tools and his SPEACC Framework.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The names of places, roads, buildings and more, reflect the impact folks in Connecticut have made for hundreds of years.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Redick said the timelines reflect some of the differences between an upper-body injury and a lower-body injury.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And clearly, the Broncos did not think enough of the tight ends to be aggressive.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Those three weeks were bliss — not thinking about Spurs, not thinking about football, just getting on with life.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allow. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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