ally

¹ American  

[uh-lahy, al-ahy, uh-lahy] / əˈlaɪ, ˈæl aɪ, əˈlaɪ /

verb (used with object)

allied, allying

1. to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).

   Russia allied itself to France.

   Synonyms:

   wed, wed, combine, join, join, unify

2. to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblance or friendship.

---

verb (used without object)

allied, allying

1. to enter into an alliance; join; unite.

noun

plural

allies

1. 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

   Antonyms:

   adversary, foe, enemy

2. 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.

3. a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.

   Synonyms:

   helper, assistant, auxiliary, coadjutor, colleague, abettor, accessory, accomplice, aide, friend

   Antonyms:

   adversary, foe, enemy

4. 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  

1. an adverbial suffix attached to certain adjectives with stems in -ic that have no forms ending in -ical: terrifically.

---

ally British  

verb

1. to unite or be united, esp formally, as by treaty, confederation, or marriage

2. (tr; usually passive) to connect or be related, as through being similar or compatible

---

noun

1. a country, person, or group allied with another

2. 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

• alliable adjective
• preally noun

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”; alloy

Origin of -ally¹

-al ¹ + -ly

Example Sentences

Nobody in the world would assume that a threat like this - based on acquiring the land of your ally - would ever actually happen.

From BBC

Like many countries, Canada - America's closest neighbour to the north - has felt the impact and seen a change in the long-standing relationship with its close security ally and trading partner.

From BBC

As a politician, 61-year-old Guanipa is an important ally of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

From Barron's

In late 2024, another key Iranian ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, fell to an Islamist rebellion.

From The Wall Street Journal

For 28 years, Billy Strayhorn stood beside Ellington as his most essential creative ally.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• associate
• colleague
• friend
• partner