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.
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?
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
a country, person, or group allied with another
a plant, animal, substance, etc, closely related to another in characteristics or form
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.
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
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."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"This is a breath of fresh air and a new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice," the ousted defence minister Fedorov, an ally, said on social media.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
But when they left New Jersey as runners-up, Fernandez and the rest of La Albiceleste still had at least one ally back home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Burnham ally Anneliese Midgeley has the difficult task of trying to keep Labour MPs - including those sacked as ministers - loyal to the government.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The close U.S. ally has seen a buildup of American forces in the conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
In her heart, she was his silent ally, a fifth columnist, in Bull’s inveterate assaults on the trellised escutcheons of the Old South that Lillian shoved in front of him.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
That’s why the bipartisan U.S. consensus has been to stop the spread of the most dangerous processes and capabilities to enemies and allies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
But it became a consistent and central point of negotiation between the two allies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Back in June, Healey's resignation, as one of Sir Keir's most loyal cabinet allies, ended up being the final nail in the coffin for the former prime minister's premiership.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The United States and its allies condemned on Tuesday China's "dangerous" behaviour after a clash the previous day between Chinese and Philippine sailors in the disputed South China Sea, a crucial route for global trade.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
These wartime allies stood for opposing worldviews and hostile ideologies, and their recent triumph over Nazism made them less, not more, open to compromise.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
The ambiguity in the lyrics allied to the familiar, easy melody, Harrison believes, allows fans to "express an outpouring of love without necessarily specifying what it's towards".
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Analysts and former officials have long viewed Cuba’s security services as a model and support network for allied governments, most notably Venezuela.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Tigray borders Eritrea and during the war, its troops were allied with Ethiopian government forces.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
Belarus, which borders Ukraine and NATO's eastern flank countries, is closely allied with Russia.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
North Vietnam had a communist government, allied with the Soviet Union and China.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
But the MEK was long considered a terrorist group by Washington and enjoys little support inside Iran, where it is reviled for allying with Saddam Hussein's Iraq during the devastating 1980-88 war.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
Such was Francis’ astonishing international popularity that many politicians of all stripes tried to trade on it, allying themselves with his causes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 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.
