Synonyms

allot

American

[uh-lot] / əˈlɒt /

verb (used with object)

to divide or distribute by share or portion; distribute or parcel out; apportion.

to allot the available farmland among the settlers.
to appropriate for a special purpose.

to allot money for a park.
to assign as a portion; set apart; dedicate.

allot British

/ əˈlɒt /

verb

to assign or distribute (shares, etc)
to designate for a particular purpose

money was allotted to cover expenses
(foll by to) apportion

we allotted two hours to the case

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See assign.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of allot

First recorded in 1425–75; earlier alot, late Middle English alotten, from Middle French aloter, equivalent to a- a- ⁵ + lot lot (from Germanic ) + -er infinitive suffix

Compare meaning

How does allot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

allot vs. a lot

Explanation

When you allot something, you are giving out portions: “Becky was able to allot five snacks per employee, but in the afternoon some workers sneaked back into the break room for more.” Be careful not to mistake allot for “a lot” (a large number), which has a similar spelling and the same pronunciation. Use the verb allot when you need to describe the act of assigning portions of something — be it snacks, time, or blame. The word is often used in the sense of an official group, such as a government or a corporation, dividing up and distributing small portions of something desirable, such as funding, shares, or land: “Zenitech Corporation was able to allot land rights to four groups in the area.”

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Vocabulary lists containing allot

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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.

Mr Allot, who was elected in May, said in an interview with BBC Look North he was "horrified" by how his comments had been seen.

From BBC • Oct. 11, 2021

Allot officials say they have no knowledge of their equipment going there and are looking into RanTek’s sales.

From BusinessWeek • Dec. 23, 2011

Three former sales employees for Allot say it was well known inside the company that the equipment was headed for Iran.

From BusinessWeek • Dec. 23, 2011

Workers at that company, RanTek A/S, repackaged the gear and shipped it to Iran, according to four former employees of Allot and RanTek.

From BusinessWeek • Dec. 23, 2011

Whilst soul is join'd to body, whether fate Allot a longer or a shorter date, I'll make them live, as brother should with brother, And keep them in good humour with each other.

From Poetical Works by Churchill, Charles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023