ally
verb (used with object)
to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).
Trivia Time
Which country did Germany attempt to ally with against the United States during World War I?
ally
1 American
[uh-lahy, al-ahy, uh-lahy]
/ əˈlaɪ, ˈæl aɪ, əˈlaɪ /
verb (used with object)
-
allies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
allied,
past participle, past
-
allying
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
allies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
allied,
past participle, past
-
allying
present participle
noun
-
allies
plural
-
a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose.
Canada and the United States were allies in World War II.
- Synonyms:
- confederate, partner
-
Biology. a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionary relationship to another, often as a member of the same family.
The squash is an ally of the watermelon.
-
a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.
-
a person who advocates for or supports a marginalized or politicized group but is not a member of the group: As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?
Straight allies speak up for the LGBTQ community.
As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?
-ally
2
American
ally
British
verb
-
to unite or be united, esp formally, as by treaty, confederation, or marriage
-
(tr; usually passive) to connect or be related, as through being similar or compatible
noun
-
a country, person, or group allied with another
-
a plant, animal, substance, etc, closely related to another in characteristics or form
Usage
What else does ally mean? An ally is someone that aligns with and supports a cause with another individual or group of people. A straight ally, more specifically, is an individual outside of the LGBTQ community that supports their fight for equality and rights.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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allysimple
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alliessimple
-
have alliedperfect
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has alliedperfect
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am allyingprogressive
-
are allyingprogressive
-
is allyingprogressive
-
have been allyingperfect progressive
-
has been allyingperfect progressive
Past
-
alliedsimple
-
had alliedperfect
-
was allyingprogressive
-
were allyingprogressive
-
had been allyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ally1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English alien, from Anglo-French alal(l)ierier, aillaier, Old French alier, from Latin alligāre “to bind to”; see alloy
Origin of -ally2
Explanation
If you have an ally, you have someone who is on your side, like a more experienced teammate who is your ally in convincing the coach to give you more playing time. Ally comes from the Latin word alligare, meaning "to bind to," like nations who are allies in wartime — they will act together, and protect one another. You can also use ally as a verb, meaning "join forces with." For example, you might ally yourself with influential people to advance your career. As a noun, pronounce ally like this: "AL-eye." As a verb, it's "uh-LIE."
Vocabulary lists containing ally
American History I
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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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:
Another source I spoke to was "eaten alive by anxiety" over the investigation and baffled that Germany, a close ally of Ukraine, was even pursuing prosecution.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Among them was Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, a close Mamdani ally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"The public arguments that we had, I suppose, were enough," she said, and agreed with the interviewer that she had an ally in Drakeford.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
That background, combined with his 18 years on the San Diego school board, where he has been a union ally, made him an ideological fit with CTA.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Though the motion was defeated, Stanton had considered Phillips an ally, and she was hurt by his rejection.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
He recently pressured European allies to further tap their oil reserves.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Jair Bolsonaro, his family and allies have maintained his innocence.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Fresh attacks by Iran’s Houthi allies and a storm that shut some U.S. offshore production have given a fresh boost to oil prices, putting more pressure on stocks globally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
But multiple times a year Trans*cendent takes over locations around L.A. creating one of the only underground raves curated by and for trans women and their allies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Because Japan and Germany are allies, Japan periodically sends prisoners to live with German families, who are sometimes called “sponsors.”
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The fighting around Lalibela has involved the army and an Amhara militia that has allied with Tigrayan fighters.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
This may help explain why protecting allied governments appears to have become such an important part of Russia's regional strategy.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Instead, production inside a designated allied industrial base should ordinarily be permitted unless a specific national-security reason requires otherwise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Another person allied with Bass contacted Fight Agency last month about working for the Bass campaign, Mikail said, which the firm declined.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Belief was not about reason, he concluded: “Belief allied to instinct.”
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
The Indian National Congress leader Subhas Chandra Bose was convinced that allying with Japan offered India its best chance at ending British rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Daglo worked for years for Bashir before allying with Burhan to overthrow him in 2019 as part of Sudan's revolution.
From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 2025
Additionally, Brics enables India to advance its core foreign policy principle of strategic autonomy, whereby it aims to balance relations with a wide spectrum of geopolitical players, without formally allying with any of them.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2024
By the time the first Spanish missionaries arrived in the 14th century, at least seven different groups were trading, marrying, allying, and fighting with one another in a complex political network.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 3, 2024
Only twelve years ago, the rebels were at the height of their power, allying themselves with the Tribes and the king of Marinn.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
