adjective
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joined, as by treaty, agreement, or marriage; united
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of the same type or class; related
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of allied
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at ally, -ed 2
Explanation
Allied means united or joined together. If two countries are allied, they are on the same side and have common interests. When two people are allied, they are friendly — or at least cooperative. To be allied means to have an agreement to work together, so when politicians are allied on a bill, they've pledged to join forces and unite for a common cause. In a war, allied countries are fighting on the same side. Allied comes from ally, which first meant "join in marriage," from the Latin root alligare, "bind to."
Vocabulary lists containing allied
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.
It says it is supplying flying robots to more than a thousand public safety agencies in the country, every branch of the U.S. military and 29 allied nations.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
The attacks are reminiscent of a crisis that rocked Mali in 2012, when Tuareg rebels allied with jihadists to capture strategic hubs in the country's vast, remote north.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
The loan follows recent announcements that Ukraine will jointly produce weapons in allied European countries, including Germany, Denmark, Norway and the U.K.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026
Startups and allied defense industries are filling it, and investors who track those contracts will find the positions before the consensus does.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Belief was not about reason, he concluded: “Belief allied to instinct.”
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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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.