allocate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to assign or allot for a particular purpose
-
a less common word for locate
Synonym Usage
See assign.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
allocatornoun
-
deallocateverb (used with object)
-
reallocateverb (used with object)
-
allocatableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
allocatesimple
-
allocatessimple
-
have allocatedperfect
-
has allocatedperfect
-
am allocatingprogressive
-
are allocatingprogressive
-
is allocatingprogressive
-
have been allocatingperfect progressive
-
has been allocatingperfect progressive
Past
-
allocatedsimple
-
had allocatedperfect
-
was allocatingprogressive
-
were allocatingprogressive
-
had been allocatingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
To allocate is to set aside a certain amount of money for an expense. You usually hear about the government allocating funds for education or the military, but you may personally allocate some of your allowance to buying comic books. Aside from money, a common thing to allocate is time: "The old woman in the shoe had so many children she could only allocate 2.7 minutes per day to talk to each one individually." Resources are also often allocated. Teachers, for example, are continuously allocating their year's supply of resources so they don't run out of glue sticks and paper before the end of the school year.
Vocabulary lists containing allocate
Grade 9, List 6
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Nothing But the Truth
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
"The way you allocate those costs matters," says Mayo.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
These are lower-cost automated services that can allocate money across a group of funds according to strategies based on information provided by an investor.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The streamer said it plans to allocate just over 5% of its content spend on live programming this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
But it’s much better to allocate than speculate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
“We have the ability to allocate the job to the person who knows the area best.”
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
Changes in how it allocates funds can affect global financial markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The district also proposed increasing class sizes while it allocates 20% of its total budget to outside contracts, significantly higher than surrounding districts and the state average, the association said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
For investors, who tend to think in calendar years, the total amount spent in 2026 and 2027 likely matters more than exactly how the Pentagon allocates its funding.
From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026
States remain legally responsible for providing employment - or paying unemployment allowances, even as the central government allocates $9.5bn for the scheme in the current financial year, ending next March.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
The more commodified and restricted our access to information, the less efficient the operation of the market, the more poorly it allocates resources in our society.
From The Public Domain Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by Boyle, James
On “Fox News Sunday,” anchor Shannon Bream allocated a mere four seconds to the entire event, treating it as a footnote before moving on to interview a Democratic senator.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
But then their mortgage company started withholding the couple’s insurance money it held in escrow — allocated specifically for the rebuild.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The U.S. allocated about $46 billion for critical raw-material projects over five years, roughly eight times the amount allocated by the EU.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
An extra £15 million will be allocated to the pre-existing Music Growth Package, which is intended to help emerging artists break through at home and internationally.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
We wanted to spend every minute of the half hour Papa allocated to uniform washing.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
That feature is the prime rationale for the 60/40 portfolio, a classic investment strategy allocating 60% to stocks for growth and 40% to fixed-income for security and stability.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Jane Street has invested alongside Situational Awareness in venture deals in addition to allocating to its hedge fund.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
You mentioned that you’re allocating 10% of your monthly pay toward your move.
From MarketWatch ● May 30, 2026
While many advocates support allocating the money quickly, it leaves little for future years.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026
Eventually somebody ends up in charge of allocating goods and services.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
