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.
Even that striking number vastly understates the U.S. and allied dependency.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Cities throughout the country hold public celebrations that draw large crowds onto the streets, and world leaders allied with Putin descend on Moscow for the army procession.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
The U.S. has to ask hard questions about buying foreign support ships, using allied capacity and expanding our own shipyards.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
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
Six months behind the Soviet Union, the United States had also entered World War II. The two huge nations, so different from each other, were allied against Germany.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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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.