allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈa-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce allocate (audio)
allocated; allocating

transitive verb

1
: to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things : distribute
allocate tasks among human and automated components
2
: to set apart or earmark : designate
allocate a section of the building for special research purposes
allocatable adjective
allocation noun
allocator noun

Examples of allocate in a Sentence

Money from the sale of the house was allocated to each of the children. We need to determine the best way to allocate our resources. Have enough funds been allocated to finance the project?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Specifically, the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research allocated $100 million in federal funding for women's health in February 2024. Kori Hale, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 On Saturday, the Spanish government allocated €1.6 million (roughly $1.7 million) to a new feasibility study for a tunnel from the Iberian Peninsula to Morocco, the closest crossing between the two continents. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 An aggressive investor willing to stomach some of the volatility and wanting to (potentially) allocate slightly over $10,000 to bitcoin could purchase 100 shares of iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and sell one June 51 put at 83 cents and one June 72 call at 63 cents. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 12 May 2025 The European Union allocates a big chunk of its budget to supporting farmers, and a mix of tariffs and quotas limit competition in sensitive areas. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for allocate

Word History

Etymology

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" — more at locate

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allocate was in 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allocate. Accessed 16 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

allocate

verb
al·​lo·​cate ˈal-ə-ˌkāt How to pronounce allocate (audio)
allocated; allocating
1
: to divide and distribute for a special reason or to particular persons or things
allocate funds among charities
2
: to set apart for a particular purpose
allocate materials for a project
allocation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on allocate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!