allow
Usage
What are other ways to say allow?
Allow and permit are often interchangeable as terms that imply granting or conceding the right of someone to do something, but permit is the more positive of the two. Allow implies complete absence of an attempt, or even an intent, to hinder. Permit suggests formal or implied assent or authorization. Let is the familiar, conversational term for both allow and permit.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They deliver powerful bursts of thrust that allow spacecraft to quickly accelerate, decelerate, climb, descend, or change position.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
AI could see a “self-imposed regulation or a slowdown in development” to allow more time to adjust to its implications, though they identify no evidence of broad labor-market disruption from the emerging technology.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
"We call for calm and for space to allow justice to take its course," it added.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
A working base would allow sustained scientific research, the testing of technology bound for future Mars missions, and the eventual extraction of lunar resources.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
“We just allow enough enchantment to give the fibers a nudge.”
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Vocabulary lists containing allow
Beowulf vocabulary
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"The Sporting Spirit"
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Workshop 3, Part 2
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