allocate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to assign or allot for a particular purpose
-
a less common word for locate
Related Words
See assign.
Other Word Forms
- allocatable adjective
- allocator noun
- deallocate verb (used with object)
- reallocate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of allocate
First recorded in 1630–40; from Medieval Latin allocātus (past participle of allocāre ), equivalent to al- al- + loc(us) “place” + -ātus -ate 1
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.
The program opens up for applications this week and could allocate up to $12,500 for households of 1-2 people and up to $19,000 for households with five or more members.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“The first victims are party balloons: you can quite easily allocate less there and deal with a few angry parents,” Kapadia said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The firm recommends investors that who like gold allocate a mid-single-digit percentage of their portfolio to the precious metal as a hedge and a way to diversify.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Global shipping is interconnected, and as companies try to keep routes to Europe supplied, they may allocate fewer ships to other, less traveled routes.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
He looked at his little sister and tried to allocate blame so it all fell on her, but he couldn’t.
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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.
