disallow
Americanverb (used with object)
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to refuse to allow; reject; veto.
to disallow a claim for compensation.
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to refuse to admit the truth or validity of.
to disallow the veracity of a report.
verb
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to reject as untrue or invalid
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to cancel
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have disallowedperfect
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has disallowedperfect 3rd person singular
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am disallowingprogressive 1st person singular
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is disallowingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been disallowingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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disallowingparticiple
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have been disallowingperfect progressive
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disallowssingular 3rd person
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are disallowingprogressive
Past
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had disallowedperfect
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was disallowingprogressive singular
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had been disallowingperfect progressive
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were disallowingprogressive plural
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disallowedparticiple
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disallowedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of disallow
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Old French word desallouer. See dis- 1, allow
Explanation
When you disallow something, you prohibit it. Teachers usually disallow cell phones in their classrooms. You're most likely to come across the verb disallow in official or formal contexts, like a list of rules in a courtroom or within the wording of a law. Referees often disallow certain actions in sports matches, and prison wardens disallow many kinds of behavior by prisoners. The word comes from allow, with its root allouen, "to praise, approve of, or be pleased with," with the Latin prefix dis in front, here meaning "do the opposite of."
Vocabulary lists containing disallow
Power Prefix: dis-
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"My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning
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dis-
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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.
Some, including Robinhood and SoFi, say they will disallow or limit allocations for people who have participated in IPOs in the past and have “flipped” shares, selling them within 30 days of the offering.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Bryan Mbeumo controlled the ball with his hand before Matheus Cunha scored, but the referee rejected a review to disallow it.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
They were only rescued by an agonizing video review that took over 4 minutes to disallow the goal.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
"The referee has to take a breath. She's very quick to blow her whistle and disallow the goal straight away," added White.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
Or after Granny died and wasn’t there anymore to disallow it, why didn’t he take the stuff to his own house?
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
