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.
Tigray borders Eritrea and during the war, its troops were allied with Ethiopian government forces.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
"Too many allied capitals seem to still miss something in translation," Hegseth said.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
With the Group of Seven summit under way, the president has calmed financial markets, talked down the oil price and given the leaders of allied countries reason to hope for a quick peace.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
Investigating active government officials in Mexico is a new strategy for the United States, which in the past refrained from targeting sitting leaders in allied countries with criminal investigations because of the clear political ramifications.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Grube told me that he thought the kings of Kaan, never allied with Teotihuacan, may have wanted to stamp out pernicious foreign influences—xenophobia is a powerful motive in every culture.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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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.