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• Allies
  Allies

  plural noun

  (in World War I) the powers of the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, Russia), with the nations allied with them (Belgium, Serbia, Japan, Italy, etc., not including the United States), or, loosely, with all the nations (including the United States) allied or associated with them as opposed to the Central Powers.
• allies
  allies

  noun

  the plural of ally

Allies

American  

[al-ahyz, uh-lahyz] / ˈæl aɪz, əˈlaɪz /

plural noun

1. (in World War I) the powers of the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, Russia), with the nations allied with them (Belgium, Serbia, Japan, Italy, etc., not including the United States), or, loosely, with all the nations (including the United States) allied or associated with them as opposed to the Central Powers.

2. the 26 nations that fought against the Axis in World War II and, with subsequent additions, signed the charter of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945.

3. the member nations of NATO.

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Allies ¹ British  

/ ˈælaɪz /

plural noun

1. (in World War I) the powers of the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain) together with the nations allied with them

2. (in World War II) the countries that fought against the Axis. The main Allied powers were Britain and the Commonwealth countries, the US, the Soviet Union, France, China, and Poland See also Axis

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allies ² British  

/ ˈælaɪz /

noun

1. the plural of ally

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Allies Cultural  

1. The victorious allied nations of World War I and World War II. In World War I, the Allies included Britain, France, Italy, Russia, and the United States. In World War II, the Allies included Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.

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Etymology

Origin of Allies

Plural of ally

Compare meaning

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

• Allies vs. Central Powers

Explanation

In war, allies are friends — specifically, friendly nations — you can trust. Allies are on your side. The main meaning of this word comes from war. Without allies, a country is going to be all alone in a war. Like many other words of war, this term spread beyond the battlefield. A politician trying to pass a law is going to need allies, probably in both political parties. Any time there's a disagreement or conflict, it helps to have allies: if you don't, you're all alone.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Allies allies

Allies hope to avoid a blow-up in Turkey by showcasing new spending and deals, and lavishing on hospitality.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

In World War I, the company became a major source of smokeless powder and explosives for the Allies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Allies have yet to see the text of a pact aimed at ending a war that has weighed on the global economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

Allies were asking when the UK government's words would be matched by actions, as was the defence industry.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

And the Allies, the Americans and the British, were already marching into Germany from the west.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

For Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the primary aim of the visit is to dispel reports of a cooling in relations between the allies.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

In their early years on the court, they appeared to be friends and allies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Congress, the American people, or any of your allies.

From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the war succeeded in destroying Iran’s missile arsenal and production, sinking its navy, weakening its militia allies and ensuring it won’t possess a nuclear weapon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

In other words, it was the perfect spot for America and its allies to spy on the Soviets.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• associate
• colleague
• friend
• partner