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.
The Central Asian leader, who is a Moscow ally but who has never condoned Russia's offensive, said the roots of the war are "not understandable".
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
“If you are new here, I am a vocal ally of the trans community,” Turner wrote on X in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The dual appointments sent mixed signals to business leaders, who view Khan as hostile to corporate interests and Shorris as a trusted ally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, Streeting said his aim is to make the UK a "strong, dependable ally" while also supporting jobs at home.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Nixon and Kissinger were livid with Thieu, but he was an ally.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
For Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the primary aim of the visit is to dispel reports of a cooling in relations between the allies.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
In their early years on the court, they appeared to be friends and allies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Congress, the American people, or any of your allies.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
A major chokepoint in its own right, it has become a release valve for diverted Saudi barrels but is being threatened by Iran’s Yemeni allies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In early July, Martin Luther King Jr., one of Johnson’s biggest allies in the struggle to end racial discrimination, spoke out against the war while addressing civil rights leaders in Virginia.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
The U.S. is expanding domestic manufacturing with help from companies based in allied nations such as South Korea’s LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
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
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
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
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
For the other nations in the confederacy, the benefits of allying with either side were not clear-cut.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
