ally
verb (used with object)
to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).
ally
1 American
[uh-lahy, al-ahy, uh-lahy]
/ əˈlaɪ, ˈæl aɪ, əˈlaɪ /
verb (used with object)
-
allies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
allied,
past participle, past
-
allying
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
allies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
allied,
past participle, past
-
allying
present participle
noun
-
allies
plural
-
a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose.
Canada and the United States were allies in World War II.
- Synonyms:
- confederate, partner
-
Biology. a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionary relationship to another, often as a member of the same family.
The squash is an ally of the watermelon.
-
a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.
-
a person who advocates for or supports a marginalized or politicized group but is not a member of the group: As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?
Straight allies speak up for the LGBTQ community.
As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?
-ally
2
American
ally
British
verb
-
to unite or be united, esp formally, as by treaty, confederation, or marriage
-
(tr; usually passive) to connect or be related, as through being similar or compatible
noun
-
a country, person, or group allied with another
-
a plant, animal, substance, etc, closely related to another in characteristics or form
Usage
What else does ally mean? An ally is someone that aligns with and supports a cause with another individual or group of people. A straight ally, more specifically, is an individual outside of the LGBTQ community that supports their fight for equality and rights.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
allysimple
-
alliessimple
-
have alliedperfect
-
has alliedperfect
-
am allyingprogressive
-
are allyingprogressive
-
is allyingprogressive
-
have been allyingperfect progressive
-
has been allyingperfect progressive
Past
-
alliedsimple
-
had alliedperfect
-
was allyingprogressive
-
were allyingprogressive
-
had been allyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ally1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English alien, from Anglo-French alal(l)ierier, aillaier, Old French alier, from Latin alligāre “to bind to”; see alloy
Origin of -ally2
Explanation
If you have an ally, you have someone who is on your side, like a more experienced teammate who is your ally in convincing the coach to give you more playing time. Ally comes from the Latin word alligare, meaning "to bind to," like nations who are allies in wartime — they will act together, and protect one another. You can also use ally as a verb, meaning "join forces with." For example, you might ally yourself with influential people to advance your career. As a noun, pronounce ally like this: "AL-eye." As a verb, it's "uh-LIE."
Vocabulary lists containing ally
American History I
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The American Revolution - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Ramon Jesurun, a close ally of Infantino's, saw it as a chance to show his support, with the two men smiling in a photo opportunity for the federation's Instagram account.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Now, they have another powerfully ally with Blanche on board.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
China, a key ally of North Korea, has also recently expressed alarm at what it sees as "new militarism" by Japan.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent chalked up last week’s historic joint intervention to support the yen as a friendly gesture in support of an ally.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Throughout the Adams presidency, Jefferson and his Republican followers had been insisting that the French Revolution was the American Revolution on European soil and that France was therefore America’s major international ally.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Chan’s campaign and her allies saw it differently.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Fry and his allies have spent just about $1 million and Sanford’s campaign has spent about $640,000.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
The "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercise is a regular summer fixture for South Korea's armed forces and their US allies, designed to steel them for defence against the nuclear-armed North.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
The Times leads with reports that Burnham is "struggling" to convince one of his closest allies, Lord O'Neill of Gatley to join the government's advisory team.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
What if the Soviets stepped in to defend their allies?
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Darline Graham’s allied super PACs—as well as her campaign—have outspent her rivals.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
The original specimens of the sail-backed dinosaur Spinosaurus were destroyed in Munich by an allied bombing raid in 1944.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
Some of his cabinet colleagues - including those once closely allied to Sturgeon - were more pointed in their responses.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
For two days, the world's biggest oil exporter Saudi Arabia has reported drone attacks targeting crude facilities that it blamed on Iraqi armed groups allied with Tehran.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
“The Dauntless have allied with the factionless,” she says.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
Daglo worked for years for Bashir before allying with Burhan to overthrow him in 2019 as part of Sudan's revolution.
From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 2025
Additionally, Brics enables India to advance its core foreign policy principle of strategic autonomy, whereby it aims to balance relations with a wide spectrum of geopolitical players, without formally allying with any of them.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2024
By the time the first Spanish missionaries arrived in the 14th century, at least seven different groups were trading, marrying, allying, and fighting with one another in a complex political network.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 3, 2024
With Navarro, Foster transforms Danvers into someone more brittle but not lacking in heart, a cornered creature vacillating between allying herself with what’s facing her or turning on it.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2024
Only twelve years ago, the rebels were at the height of their power, allying themselves with the Tribes and the king of Marinn.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
