Word
ally
Phoneticsal·ly, stress on the first syllable
/ˈæɫaɪ/
Definitions
01political/military partner
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a country or group that has joined with another for a common purpose, like winning a war.
n. a state formally cooperating with another for a military or political purpose, typically by treaty.
“The two countries have been close allies for over fifty years.”
“The prime minister sought to reassure his European allies that the treaty obligations would be met despite the domestic political pressure.”
Synonyms
02personal/social supporter
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. someone who helps and supports you, especially when others are against you.
n. a person who cooperates with or helps another; often used in social justice contexts to describe a supporter of a marginalised group.
日本語:味方※
“She was a strong ally during the office dispute and defended my ideas.”
“The organisation provides training for people who want to be better allies to the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace.”
03to join forces
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to join with another person or group to work together.
v. to combine or unite for a specific purpose; often used reflexively with 'with' or 'to'.
日本語:結ぶ※
“The small company decided to ally with a larger firm to survive the crisis.”
“The minor political party chose to ally itself with the opposition in a desperate attempt to block the controversial legislation.”
Usage
Often used in the passive voice or reflexively as 'to ally oneself with'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ally” in context.
Verb
01. betray an ally
“The nation was criticized for its decision to betray a long-standing ally during the crisis.”
verb + noun
02. cultivate an ally
“The diplomat worked tirelessly to cultivate an ally within the opposing party.”
verb + noun
03. remain an ally
“Despite their differences, they managed to remain allies throughout the negotiation process.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. staunch ally
“The country has remained a staunch ally of the United States for decades.”
adj + noun
05. strategic ally
“Securing a strategic ally in the region was essential for the success of the mission.”
adj + noun
06. unlikely ally
“The environmental group found an unlikely ally in the local business community.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. as an ally
“She joined the campaign as an ally to help promote social justice reform.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“The paper covers the US president's threat to bomb Oman, an American ally, as the deadline to resolve the Iran war looms.” “Unexpected things can happen during a war, like the entry of a new ally or the expansion of a war to a new region.” “The situation changed suddenly in June 1941, when Adolf Hitler broke his nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin and invaded the Soviet Union, transforming Moscow from one of Poland’s captors into an uneasy ally.” “With an ally elected, the US, Mexico and Canada won the right to host the 2026 World Cup.” Etymology
From Middle English allien, alien (“to form an alliance, associate, join; to become an ally; to introduce (someone) as an ally; to marry; to become related (to someone); to attack, engage in combat; to combine; (cooking) to combine ingredients, especially to bind them together”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman alier, allier, Middle French alier, allier [and other forms], and Old French alier (“to join together, unite; to alloy (metals); (cooking) to combine ingredients”) (modern French allier), from Latin alligāre, the present active infinitive of alligō, adligō (“to bind around, to, or up (something), bandage, fasten, fetter, tie; to hold fast; to detain, hinder”), from al-, ad- (intensifying prefix) + ligō (“to bind, tie; to bandage, wrap around; to unite”) (from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind, tie”)). Doublet of allay, alligate, alloy, and ligament.
From Middle English allie, alie [and other forms], probably partly: * from allien (verb): see etymology 1; and * from Anglo-Norman allié, alié, alyé, allyé, Middle French allié, alié, allyé (“associate, supporter; friend; relative; person, state, etc., associated or united with another by alliance or treaty”), and Old French alliiet (“military or political ally”) (modern French allié), a noun use of the past participle of Anglo-Norman alier, allier, Middle French alier, allier, and Old French alier (verb): see etymology 1.
See alley.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0