allowable
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
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.
“The device’s lithium battery exceeded the maximum allowable size, so the customer was asked to remove it,” the statement said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
People itemize charitable gifts if their total allowable itemized deductions — including donations to qualified charities, mortgage interest, and state and local taxes — exceed the standard deduction.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026
And if I’m having a really bad hole, I’m fine picking up the ball and marking down the maximum allowable score for handicap purposes—if I keep score at all.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 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
Of course, for such a thing to happen, there has to be a kind of acquiescence on the part of the victims, some submerged belief that this treatment is deserved, or at least allowable.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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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.