allot
Americanverb (used with object)
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allots,
present (3rd person singular)
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allotted,
past participle, past
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allotting
present participle
verb
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to assign or distribute (shares, etc)
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to designate for a particular purpose
money was allotted to cover expenses
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(foll by to) apportion
we allotted two hours to the case
Synonym Usage
See assign.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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allotternoun
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misallotverb (used with object)
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preallotverb (used with object)
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reallotverb (used with object)
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allottableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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allotsimple
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allotssimple
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have allottedperfect
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has allottedperfect
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am allottingprogressive
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are allottingprogressive
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is allottingprogressive
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have been allottingperfect progressive
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has been allottingperfect progressive
Past
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allottedsimple
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had allottedperfect
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was allottingprogressive
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were allottingprogressive
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had been allottingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of allot
First recorded in 1425–75; earlier alot, late Middle English alotten, from Middle French aloter, equivalent to a- a- 5 + lot lot (from Germanic ) + -er infinitive suffix
Compare meaning
How does allot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you allot something, you are giving out portions: “Becky was able to allot five snacks per employee, but in the afternoon some workers sneaked back into the break room for more.” Be careful not to mistake allot for “a lot” (a large number), which has a similar spelling and the same pronunciation. Use the verb allot when you need to describe the act of assigning portions of something — be it snacks, time, or blame. The word is often used in the sense of an official group, such as a government or a corporation, dividing up and distributing small portions of something desirable, such as funding, shares, or land: “Zenitech Corporation was able to allot land rights to four groups in the area.”
Vocabulary lists containing allot
Fahrenheit 451
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Beowulf vocabulary
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List 1
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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:
Let’s say you allot another $1,000 for furniture.
From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026
The ladies agree to allot 20 minutes to grousing about their aches and pains, and then they have to move on to some appointed discussion topic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
On Tuesday, Drakeford will allot money for government departments for 2026-27.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2025
This doesn’t just invite some fantastic conversations, but recontexualizes the rights we allot to non-human creatures.
From Salon ● May 29, 2025
The government wouldn’t allot valuable rations to a dead woman.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
But the equal-weighted version of the index allots an equal weighting to each stock in the index, making it a better gauge of how the average S&P 500 stock is doing.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
Focusing on McCartney’s first decade in the wake of The Beatles’ disbandment, Neville allots significant attention to the musician’s grit and determination during the formation of Wings, which underwent several lineup changes in the 1970s.
From Salon ● Feb. 27, 2026
I opted for a $100 annual plan that allots me two terabytes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
The Oscars are notorious for running well over the three-and-a-half-hour time period ABC allots for the telecast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2025
Meanwhile Aeneas traces the town with the plough and allots the homesteads; this he bids be Ilium, and these lands Troy.
From The Aeneid of Virgil by Virgil
And those visits often run over their allotted time, meaning that primary care doctors are often behind.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026
Researchers at top labs including Alibaba and Z.AI said they are often allotted one-fifth of the high-end chips available to peers at OpenAI and Google.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Static exercises mean you’re holding one position and staying still for the allotted amount of time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Proceedings drew intense interest from the public, and some lined up overnight to earn a wristband for one of just 14 seats allotted for spectators.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
They returned within the time Hannah had allotted them: they entered by the kitchen door.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Ferrari is in the enviable position of allotting Purosangue sales to its well-regarded clients, collectors and other Friends of Enzo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado called Thursday for allotting more than $360 million to developers and nonprofits building and preserving affordable housing projects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
This comes on the heels of Congress allotting funds for the department's "Food is Medicine" effort, created in order to "develop a federal strategy to reduce nutrition-related chronic illnesses."
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2024
However, it does have to think about the infrastructure, allotting space for storage and pipes, and making sure the airlines and fuel firms have everything they need.
From BBC ● Nov. 23, 2023
After some prodding by Dad, the motion on allotting work finally was introduced and passed.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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.
