Allocation — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈa-lə-ˌkāt/ (verb) /ˌmis-ˌa-lə-ˈkā-shən/ (noun) /ˌsəb-ˈa-lə-ˌkāt/ (verb) al·lo·cate

Meaning & Definition of Allocation

Allocation (verb)

  1. to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things, distribute
  2. to set apart or earmark, designate
  3. to allocate (something, such as funds) to one or more subordinate agencies as a share of a larger allocation or supply

Allocation (noun)

  1. the act or an instance of misallocating something (such as money or resources), poor or improper allocation

Allocation (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a sum of money allotted for a specific use by official or formal action

    "recognizing the importance of the arts in the health of a city, the council increased the allocation for the city's annual jazz festival"

    similar: allotment, annuity, appropriation, entitlement, grant, subsidy, subvention
    related: aid, assistance, block grant, grant-in-aid, set-aside, foreign aid, relief, state aid, advance, allowance, benefit, bequest, endowment, fund, legacy, stipend, trust, trust fund

  2. the act or process of giving out something to each member of a group

    "the allocation of Halloween candy became my job when I was too old to go trick-or-treating myself"

    similar: admeasurement, allotment, apportionment, disbursement, dispensation, distribution, division, issuance
    related: reallocation, reapportionment, redistribution, redivision, repartition, partition, separation

Related Entry: Allocate (verb)

Allocate is a different word from Allocation. The synonyms below are for allocate, not for allocation.

  1. to give as a share or portion

    "not enough computers to allocate one to every student"

    similar: allot, allow, apportion, assign, distribute, lot, ration
    related: admeasure, administer, deal, dispense, divide, dole out, hand out, measure, mete (out), meter, parcel (out), part, portion, prorate, share (out), split, accord, award, give, grant, earmark, reserve, chip in, contribute, donate, reallocate, reapportion, reassign, redistribute
    near: begrudge, deny, deprive (of), keep, retain, stint, withhold, appropriate, arrogate, confiscate

  2. to give out (something) to appropriate individuals

    "allocated the housework in such a way that the older kids got more than the younger ones"

    similar: administer, apportion, deal (out), dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out, mete (out), parcel (out), portion, prorate
    related: admeasure, allot, allow, appropriate, assign, dish out, divide, divvy (up), dollop (out), lot, measure (out), part, proportion, ration, redistribute, set, share (out), split, bestow, disburse, furnish, issue, provide, share, supply, circulate, disperse, disseminate, scatter, spread, chip in, contribute, donate, pledge, reallocate, reapportion
    opposite: misallocate
    near: begrudge, decline, deny, deprive (of), disallow, refuse, reject, withhold, niggle (out), pinch, skimp, stint

  3. to keep or intend for a special purpose

    "sliced the strawberries after first allocating all the nicest ones for the top of the cake"

    similar: consecrate, dedicate, devote, earmark, give up (to), reserve, save, set by, set apart, set aside
    related: bless, hallow, sanctify, commit, confide, consign, entrust, apply, bestow, employ, use
    near: ignore, neglect, misapply, misuse

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Allocation

The most common words with a similar meaning to Allocation:

allotment, annuity, appropriation, entitlement, grant, subsidy, subvention, admeasurement, apportionment, disbursement, dispensation, distribution, division, issuance

Related Words for Allocation

aid, assistance, block grant, grant-in-aid, set-aside, foreign aid, relief, state aid, advance, allowance, benefit, bequest, endowment, fund, legacy, stipend, trust, trust fund, reallocation, reapportionment, redistribution, redivision, repartition, partition, separation

Word Forms of Allocation

Inflections: allocated, allocating, misallocations, suballocated, sub-allocated, suballocating, sub-allocating

Derived words: allocatable (adjective), allocation (noun), allocator (noun), suballocation (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Allocation

borrowed from Medieval Latin allocātus, past participle of allocāre "to place, stow, hire out, place on hire, allow, admit, credit," from Latin ad- ad- + locāre "to place, situate" locate

First known use: 1616

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Allocation

Words & Phrases Containing Allocation

misallocation

Frequently Asked Questions about Allocation

What does "Allocation" mean?

"Allocation" means to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things, distribute. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things, distribute. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Allocation"?

Other words for "Allocation" include allotment, annuity, appropriation, entitlement, grant, subsidy, subvention and admeasurement. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Allocation" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Allocation"?

There are 39 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Allocation". Common alternatives include allotment, annuity, appropriation, entitlement, grant, subsidy, subvention, admeasurement, apportionment and disbursement.

How do you use "Allocation" in a sentence?

Examples of "Allocation" in a sentence: "recognizing the importance of the arts in the health of a city, the council increased the allocation for the city's annual jazz festival"; "the allocation of Halloween candy became my job when I was too old to go trick-or-treating myself".

Is "Allocation" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Allocation" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Allocation" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Allocation" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Allocation"?

"Allocation" is pronounced /ˈa-lə-ˌkāt/ as a verb, /ˌmis-ˌa-lə-ˈkā-shən/ as a noun and /ˌsəb-ˈa-lə-ˌkāt/ as a verb and divided into syllables as al·lo·cate.

What is the origin of the word "Allocation"?

"Allocation" comes from borrowed from Medieval Latin allocātus, past participle of allocāre "to place, stow, hire out, place on hire, allow, admit, credit," from Latin ad- ad- + locāre "to place, situate" locate. First known use: 1616.