disallow

American

[dis-uh-lou] / ˌdɪs əˈlaʊ /

verb (used with object)

to refuse to allow; reject; veto.

to disallow a claim for compensation.
to refuse to admit the truth or validity of.

to disallow the veracity of a report.

disallow British

/ ˌdɪsəˈlaʊ /

verb

to reject as untrue or invalid
to cancel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

disallowable adjective
disallowableness noun
disallowance noun

Etymology

Origin of disallow

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Old French word desallouer. See dis- ¹, allow

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.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was furious the VAR did not intervene to disallow the goal and give a free-kick.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

The existing players in cybersecurity provide businesses with complex firewalls: software that identifies customers’ internal users of data, and tools that allow or disallow access to information for parties external to the customer.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Already incensed after a decision to disallow a Senegal goal in the 93rd minute, head coach Pape Thiaw tried to usher his team off the field, and several Senegal players left for the dressing room.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026

Frank was furious with Simons' red card -- which was upgraded from a booking after a VAR review -- and the failure to disallow Ekitike's goal for a push on Romero.

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

The auctioneer gave her a sour look but did not disallow the bid.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023