Allowance — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ə-ˈlau̇-ən(t)s/ al·low·ance

Meaning & Definition of Allowance

Allowance (noun)

  1. a sum granted as a reimbursement or bounty or for expenses; especially, a sum regularly provided for personal or household expenses
  2. a fixed or available amount
  3. a share or portion allotted or granted

Allowance (verb)

  1. to put on a fixed allowance (as of food and drink)
  2. to supply in a fixed or regular quantity

Allowance (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group

    "as the war progressed, each family's allowance of sugar and flour was reduced"

    similar: allotment, cut, end, part, piece, portion, proportion, quota, share, slice, take, piece of the action
    related: lot, ration, commission, percentage, member, partition, section, segment
    near: aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality, whole

  2. the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something

    "without the official allowance of the school board, no organization can hold its meetings on school property"

    similar: authorization, clearance, concurrence, consent, granting, green light, leave, license, permission, sanction, sufferance, warrant
    related: imprimatur, seal, signature, stamp, accreditation, certification, liberty, pass, concession, patent, permit, tolerance, toleration, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, OK, accord, grant
    opposite: interdiction, prohibition, proscription
    near: denial, refusal, rejection, revocation, taboo, injunction, veto, deterrence, discouragement, repression, suppression, ban, embargo, exclusion

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Allowance

The most common words with a similar meaning to Allowance:

allotment, cut, end, part, piece, portion, proportion, quota, share, slice, take, authorization, clearance, concurrence, consent, granting, green light, leave, license, permission, sanction, sufferance, warrant, piece of the action

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Allowance

Words with the opposite meaning of Allowance:

interdiction, prohibition, proscription

Related Words for Allowance

lot, ration, commission, percentage, member, partition, section, segment, imprimatur, seal, signature, stamp, accreditation, certification, liberty, pass, concession, patent, permit, tolerance, toleration, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, OK, accord, grant

Near Antonyms of Allowance

aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality, whole, denial, refusal, rejection, revocation, taboo, injunction, veto, deterrence, discouragement, repression, suppression, ban, embargo, exclusion

Word Forms of Allowance

Inflections: allowanced, allowancing

Origin & Etymology of Allowance

Middle English allowaunce, allouance "commendation, confirmation (of a privilege), allocation of funds," borrowed from Anglo-French alouance, allowance "admission as legally valid, allocation, payment," from aluer, aloer "to place, allot, accept as legally valid" + -ance -ance allow

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Allowance

Words & Phrases Containing Allowance

make allowance for, make no allowance for, make some allowance for, mileage allowance

Frequently Asked Questions about Allowance

What does "Allowance" mean?

"Allowance" means a sum granted as a reimbursement or bounty or for expenses; especially, a sum regularly provided for personal or household expenses. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a sum granted as a reimbursement or bounty or for expenses; especially, a sum regularly provided for personal or household expenses. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Allowance"?

Other words for "Allowance" include allotment, cut, end, part, piece, portion, proportion and quota. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Allowance" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Allowance"?

There are 52 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Allowance". Common alternatives include allotment, cut, end, part, piece, portion, proportion, quota, share and slice.

What is the opposite of "Allowance"?

Antonyms of "Allowance" include interdiction, prohibition and proscription. Near antonyms include aggregate, composite, compound and pool.

How do you use "Allowance" in a sentence?

Examples of "Allowance" in a sentence: "as the war progressed, each family's allowance of sugar and flour was reduced"; "without the official allowance of the school board, no organization can hold its meetings on school property".

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

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

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

As a C1-level word, "Allowance" 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+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Allowance"?

"Allowance" is pronounced /ə-ˈlau̇-ən(t)s/ and divided into syllables as al·low·ance.