ally
verb (used with object)
to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).
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Trivia Time
Which country did Germany attempt to ally with against the United States during World War I?
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
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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
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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
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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
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alliessimple
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have alliedperfect
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has alliedperfect
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am allyingprogressive
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are allyingprogressive
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is allyingprogressive
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have been allyingperfect progressive
-
has been allyingperfect progressive
Past
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alliedsimple
-
had alliedperfect
-
was allyingprogressive
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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:
The U.S. later stood by its ally when efforts to build peace between Israel and Palestinians collapsed at the turn of the millennium, giving way to the violent second intifada uprising.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Hundreds of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday to urge the opposition to ally with Arab parties to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has gone on the offensive against the minority group's leaders.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
Successive administrations have viewed the world's most populous Arab country as a critical US ally in the region.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a friend and ally of Bass since 1995, said Black Angelenos have benefited from the mayor’s work on public safety, economic development and construction of affordable housing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Men are never so dishonest that they will repress an ally with such a flagrant display of ingratitude.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
In a series of personnel reshuffles over the past year, Prabowo has also shifted many of Jokowi's allies into new roles, including long-serving finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
She referred to Washington’s joint drills with allies and its naming of North Korea as the world’s worst human-trafficking nation as evidence of American hostility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
And for both regional and European officials present, there was a deep sense of uncertainty regarding Washington and its commitment to shielding putative allies from attack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
At NATO, Washington's European allies are nervously waiting for the results of a Pentagon review of US forces on the continent that looks set to be unveiled in December.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
The United States promised European allies a fleet of airplanes to be powered by the new 410-horsepower, twelve-cylinder Liberty engine.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
While that would provide a challenge to AI deployment, any restrictions on China would in turn benefit U.S. manufacturers and allied suppliers, Daryanani said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
Forces allied to the United Arab Emirates, once a partner with Saudi Arabia against the Houthis in the war, held the camp for years before the U.A.E. withdrew from the area in 2021.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
The message from 1809 -- detailing French and allied troops' positions in two dozen lines of symbols, numbers and letters -- had lain ignored in an online academic archive.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
“It’s important to say that these are collaborations. In and of myself, I’m probably going to fail, but allied with talented people I have a better chance,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
When she sees my confused look, she adds, “Because they’re allied with the original purpose of our city, see?”
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
Winning a record number of seats, Arab lawmakers now have the power to unseat him -- but only if the opposition overcomes resistance to allying with them.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
The Indian National Congress leader Subhas Chandra Bose was convinced that allying with Japan offered India its best chance at ending British rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 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
It would need support from another party or more to form a ruling legislative coalition, but so far, others have balked at allying with it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 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
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