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Synonyms

allowable

American  
[uh-lou-uh-buhl] / əˈlaʊ ə bəl /

adjective

  1. that may be allowed; legitimate; permissible.

    an allowable tax deduction.

noun

  1. something, as an action or amount, that is allowed.

  2. Ecology. allowable cut.

allowable British  
/ əˈlaʊəbəl /

adjective

  1. permissible; admissible

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • allowableness noun
  • allowably adverb
  • preallowable adjective
  • preallowably adverb
  • unallowable adjective

Etymology

Origin of allowable

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Middle French word alouable. See allow, -able

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.

Overall, “we see this as a modest positive for long-term strategic optionality, with no near-term impact on estimates absent a subsequent FDA decision that actually adds substances to an allowable compounding pathway,” BofA analysts wrote.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

In recent years, Congress has also expanded the list of allowable reasons to take a hardship withdrawal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Adding the firing squad in Arizona requires a constitutional amendment because the state’s constitution explicitly describes the sole methods of execution allowable for the state.

From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026

The new duty by law is only temporary -- allowable for 150 days.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Had it been allowable entertainment, had there been no pain to her friend, or reproach to herself, in the waverings of Harriet’s mind, Emma would have been amused by its variations.

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

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.