allot
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to assign or distribute (shares, etc)
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to designate for a particular purpose
money was allotted to cover expenses
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(foll by to) apportion
we allotted two hours to the case
Synonym Usage
See assign.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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allotternoun
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misallotverb (used with object)
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preallotverb (used with object)
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reallotverb (used with object)
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allottableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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allotsimple
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allotssimple
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have allottedperfect
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has allottedperfect
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am allottingprogressive
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are allottingprogressive
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is allottingprogressive
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have been allottingperfect progressive
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has been allottingperfect progressive
Past
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allottedsimple
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had allottedperfect
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was allottingprogressive
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were allottingprogressive
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had been allottingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of allot
First recorded in 1425–75; earlier alot, late Middle English alotten, from Middle French aloter, equivalent to a- a- 5 + lot lot (from Germanic ) + -er infinitive suffix
Compare meaning
How does allot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you allot something, you are giving out portions: “Becky was able to allot five snacks per employee, but in the afternoon some workers sneaked back into the break room for more.” Be careful not to mistake allot for “a lot” (a large number), which has a similar spelling and the same pronunciation. Use the verb allot when you need to describe the act of assigning portions of something — be it snacks, time, or blame. The word is often used in the sense of an official group, such as a government or a corporation, dividing up and distributing small portions of something desirable, such as funding, shares, or land: “Zenitech Corporation was able to allot land rights to four groups in the area.”
Vocabulary lists containing allot
Fahrenheit 451
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Beowulf vocabulary
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List 1
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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:
The ladies agree to allot 20 minutes to grousing about their aches and pains, and then they have to move on to some appointed discussion topic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
Passive indexes that allot the greatest influence to the biggest companies do nothing to aid in capital allocation for the broader economy, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 8, 2025
On Tuesday, Drakeford will allot money for government departments for 2026-27.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2025
Facials are amazing, if your budget and time allot for it, but it’s not the most important part of the equation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
The verb allot, by the way, means “parcel out.”
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
But the equal-weighted version of the index allots an equal weighting to each stock in the index, making it a better gauge of how the average S&P 500 stock is doing.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
I opted for a $100 annual plan that allots me two terabytes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
When you watch the film, you’ll see how selfish the Denzel character is in his space, even how he allots himself an hour of practice, no distractions, every day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2024
Included is a provision that allots $15 million to the IRS to make plans for a free direct e-file tax return system.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 12, 2022
Each year new names were added to his budget, like that of a reigning house which allots pensions to its forgotten servants.
From The Enemies of Women (Los enemigos de la mujer) by Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente
That’s mainly due to the NBA’s rising salary cap, the allotted fund used to pay players on each team, which was $70 million 10 years ago and is now $165 million.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
“In reality, the United States is organizing it, while Mexico and Canada have each been allotted just 13 matches,” he explains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
It first operated from the Coronation Grounds in Civil Lines, serving British administrators and military officers, before being allotted its present site on Safdarjung Road in 1928.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
I was taking double the oranges I was allotted at each snack station.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
The door would be closed, and they would be left outside, dismissed to await allotted work or punishment.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Ferrari is in the enviable position of allotting Purosangue sales to its well-regarded clients, collectors and other Friends of Enzo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Seventy-three percent of consumers nationally said they are concerned about rising prices for everyday purchases and are allotting higher budgets for nondiscretionary expenses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
The Senate has proposed allotting $12 million in its capital budget to the facility.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 19, 2024
This comes on the heels of Congress allotting funds for the department's "Food is Medicine" effort, created in order to "develop a federal strategy to reduce nutrition-related chronic illnesses."
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2024
After some prodding by Dad, the motion on allotting work finally was introduced and passed.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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.
