ally
verb (used with object)
to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).
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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
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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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.
See Examples For:
"South Korea has been a solid military ally for over 70 years that possesses exquisite military capabilities," Tillis wrote on X.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
He also worked on three of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell's campaigns, and is considered a close ally of the former party leader.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
He swiftly selected Richard Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and a staunch ally, as acting director of the center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Now, they have another powerfully ally with Blanche on board.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
I needed to have an ally in the war against Mrs. Baker.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
In a rare public break between the close allies, Netanyahu last week rejected Trump’s plan for a phased disarmament by Hamas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
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
Some friends and allies, including Howard Hiatt, felt Farmer should be spending more of his time on worldwide health campaigns, much less in clinical practice.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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
If allied nations and American enterprises conclude that the vibrant, dependable open ecosystem is the Chinese one, they will build their sovereign AI infrastructure on it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Some of his cabinet colleagues - including those once closely allied to Sturgeon - were more pointed in their responses.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
In 1775 the Mohawk Nation allied with the British against the separatist settlers.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
But the MEK was long considered a terrorist group by Washington and enjoys little support inside Iran, where it is reviled for allying with Saddam Hussein's Iraq during the devastating 1980-88 war.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
Such was Francis’ astonishing international popularity that many politicians of all stripes tried to trade on it, allying themselves with his causes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 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
For the other nations in the confederacy, the benefits of allying with either side were not clear-cut.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
