Word
allow
Phoneticsal·low, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈɫaʊ/
UK/ɐlˈaʊ/
Definitions
01to permit
A2 · Elementary
v. to give someone permission to do something or to let something happen.
v. to permit or give consent to an action or condition. Often used with an object and a to-infinitive.
日本語:許す、許可する※
“The teacher will allow us to use our notes during the final exam.”
“The security protocols do not allow visitors to enter the laboratory without a verified digital pass and a physical escort.”
Usage
Takes a direct object followed by a to-infinitive, or a gerund if no object is present (e.g., 'they don't allow smoking').
Pitfall
My parents don't allow me go out late.
My parents don't allow me to go out late.
Unlike 'let', the verb 'allow' requires 'to' before the following verb.
02to provide or allocate
B1 · Intermediate
v. to give someone a specific amount of time, money, or space for a purpose.
v. to provide or set aside a specific portion of a resource for a particular person or use.
“You should allow at least thirty minutes for the paint to dry completely.”
“The budget allows five hundred dollars for incidental travel expenses, provided that all receipts are submitted by the end of the month.”
03to admit or concede
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
v. to admit that something is true, even if you do not want to.
v. to acknowledge or concede the truth of a statement, often as part of a larger argument.
日本語:認める※
“He had to allow that her plan was much better than his own.”
“The judge allowed that the defendant had been under significant stress, though this did not excuse the breach of contract.”
Synonyms
04to make possible
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make it possible for something to happen.
v. to render an event or state physically or logically possible.
“The new windows allow more natural light into the living room.”
“The modular design of the spacecraft allows for rapid repairs even while the vessel is in transit.”
Synonyms
05to grant a legal request
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
v. to officially agree to a request in a court of law.
v. to rule in favour of a motion, claim, or appeal within a legal proceeding.
“The judge decided to allow the appeal after hearing the new evidence.”
“The court chose to allow the motion for discovery, compelling the corporation to release its internal emails from the period in question.”
06to let something slide
C2 · Proficiency Slang · Dialect
v. to stop worrying about something or to leave someone alone.
v. to forgo bothering with something or to cease an annoying activity; often used as an imperative.
“Just allow it, man; it's not worth getting into a fight over.”
“He was going to complain about the noise, but his friend told him to just allow it and keep walking.”
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to Multicultural London English (MLE) and is very informal; learners should avoid using it in academic or professional settings.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “allow” in context.
Confusables
Afford is about having enough money or time; allow is about giving permission or making something possible.
RememberAfford = Money/Time. Allow = Permission.
Allow requires the to-infinitive, while let requires the bare infinitive.
RememberAllow to; let go.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin laus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin laudō Latin allaudō Old French aloer ▲ Latin ad- Latin locus ▲ Latin -ō Latin locō Latin allocō Old French aloer Anglo-Norman alouerbor. Middle English allowen English allow From Middle English allowen, alowen, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman allouer, alouer, from Medieval Latin allaudāre, merged with alouer, from Medieval Latin allocō (“to assign”). Doublet of allaud (via allaudāre) or allocate (via allocāre). The similarity with Middle English alyfen (from Old English ālīefan) and German erlauben, both from Proto-Germanic *uzlaubijaną (“to allow”) is unrelated.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/allow
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0