ally
verb (used with object)
to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).
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
-
alliessimple
-
have alliedperfect
-
has alliedperfect
-
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:
Devlet Bahceli, a close Erdogan ally and head of the hardline nationalist MHP whose unexpected olive branch to Ocalan kickstarted the process in October 2024, also hailed the vote.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Now, they have another powerfully ally with Blanche on board.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent chalked up last week’s historic joint intervention to support the yen as a friendly gesture in support of an ally.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
If officially confirmed as the primary's winner, he will face Republican and Trump ally Mike Rogers, in November's midterm elections.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
As an initial step, they were pleased to find an ally in a black small-time newspaper editor and entrepreneur, Richard E. Parker.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
Chan’s campaign and her allies saw it differently.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Fry and his allies have spent just about $1 million and Sanford’s campaign has spent about $640,000.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
The "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercise is a regular summer fixture for South Korea's armed forces and their US allies, designed to steel them for defence against the nuclear-armed North.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
The president later said the supply of interceptors from allies had been "significantly reduced" this year.
From BBC ● Aug. 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
Darline Graham’s allied super PACs—as well as her campaign—have outspent her rivals.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
The original specimens of the sail-backed dinosaur Spinosaurus were destroyed in Munich by an allied bombing raid in 1944.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
For two days, the world's biggest oil exporter Saudi Arabia has reported drone attacks targeting crude facilities that it blamed on Iraqi armed groups allied with Tehran.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Because they are cheap and often difficult to shoot down, the aircraft have challenged American and allied air defenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Grube told me that he thought the kings of Kaan, never allied with Teotihuacan, may have wanted to stamp out pernicious foreign influences—xenophobia is a powerful motive in every culture.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Analysts anticipate the conservative leader, who championed the legalisation of cannabis, could retain the premiership by again allying with Pheu Thai, now ranked third in surveys.
From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026
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
With Navarro, Foster transforms Danvers into someone more brittle but not lacking in heart, a cornered creature vacillating between allying herself with what’s facing her or turning on it.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2024
For the other nations in the confederacy, the benefits of allying with either side were not clear-cut.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
