allow

/əˈlaʊ/

Reviewed on

Type

Verb

Meaning

  1. To give permission for something to happen or let someone do something.

    • The museum does not allow visitors to take photos inside the gallery.

    • Are pets allowed in this apartment building?

  2. To make an amount of time, money, or space available for a specific purpose.

    • You should allow an extra hour for traffic during the morning commute.

    • The budget allows only five hundred dollars for travel expenses.

  3. To make it possible for something to happen.

    • The new bridge allows trucks to cross the river safely.

    • Does this app allow you to share large files?

How it's used

When this means “permit an action”

  • allow visitors to enter

“allowed them to enter.”

The guard allowed visitors to enter the building.

When this means “reserve time or resources”

  • allow thirty minutes for lunch

“allow it for lunch.”

We should allow thirty minutes for lunch.

Collocations

  • allow access
  • not allow
  • if time allows
  • allow time
  • allow enough time

Synonyms

  • permit
  • let
  • authorize
  • allocate
  • allot

Antonyms

  • forbid
  • prohibit
  • ban

Idioms

  • allow for something

    to take something into account when making plans or calculations

    We need to allow for unexpected delays on the highway.