# allocated

/ˈæɫəˌkeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ˈæləkˌeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/allocated
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to distribute resources

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic · Formal

to decide officially to give a particular amount of something to someone.

For teachers: to distribute resources, such as funds or tasks, for a specific purpose. Transitive; typically takes a direct object representing the resource.

- The government allocated more money to the health department this year.
- The board of directors allocated a significant portion of the annual budget to research and development to ensure long-term competitiveness.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'to' for the recipient.

### 2. assigned or set aside

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic · Formal

already given or set aside for a specific person or task.

For teachers: having been assigned or distributed according to a plan. Often used as a participial adjective before a noun.

- Please make sure you stay within your allocated budget for the trip.
- Each department must operate within its allocated space, as the building has reached its maximum occupancy limit.

Usage: Commonly used in business and technical contexts to describe budgets or spaces.

## Examples

- The city council decided to allocate more money to public parks.
- The manager must allocate tasks to each team member based on their individual strengths and current workload.
- In response to the sudden humanitarian crisis, the international agency voted to allocate emergency funds and medical supplies to the affected border regions immediately.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.