allocate

Meanings

1. To give out something, such as money or time, for a purpose.
2. To share work or resources among people.

Example sentences

• "The council allocated money for a new library."

  Level B2, Meaning 1

• "Teachers allocate time for reading every day."

  Level B2, Meaning 1

• "The manager allocated tasks to everyone on the team."

  Level B2, Meaning 2

• "Each student was allocated a locker."

  Level C1, Meaning 1

Synonyms and antonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• allot : Allot is a close and slightly older word meaning to give a share. Allocate is more common in business and planning.

Word family and forms

Forms: allocates, allocated, allocating

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "allocate".

• allocate funds
• allocate resources
• allocate time
• allocate tasks
• allocate space
• be allocated

Origin

Allocate comes from Latin allocare, built from ad, meaning to, and locare, meaning to place. To allocate is to put a share in its place.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dictionary.com.

Usage notes

"Allocate" is usually followed by "to" or "for", as in "allocate money to schools".

How to remember it

Allocate has "locate" inside: you allocate a share by deciding where to locate it.

Test yourself

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