English Reference
Adjective

disallowed

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌdɪsəˈɫaʊd/ UK /dˌɪsɐlˈaʊd/ dis·al·lowed

adj.not allowed or not accepted, especially because it breaks a rule. You often hear this in sports when a goal or a point is cancelled.

adj.declared invalid or prohibited by an authority or according to a set of rules. Often used predicatively after a linking verb or as a participial adjective modifying a noun.


SIMPLE

The referee said the goal was disallowed.

CONTEXTUAL

The judge ruled that the evidence was disallowed because it was obtained without a proper warrant.

COMPLEX

The striker's celebration was cut short when the linesman raised his flag, signaling that the goal was disallowed due to an offside position earlier in the play.

Usage

Commonly used in legal, sporting, and administrative contexts to describe the rejection of a claim or action.

I knew straight away I’d headed it down in between my arms.” The disallowed goal was undeniably the moment of an underwhelming contest.

The Guardian· 5 Sept 2026

The test ran for four hours and was self-timed; it was “open book” but “closed Internet.” AI tools were strictly disallowed.

Ars Technica· 31 Jul 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated