allow for

phrasal verb

allowed for; allowing for; allows for
1
: to think about or plan for (something that will or might happen in the future)
When purchasing property, the company should allow for possible future growth/expansion.
2
: to consider (something) when one makes a calculation
The total distance, allowing for detours, is about 10 miles.
If you allow for inflation, he's actually earning less money now than he was 10 years ago.
3
: to make (something) possible
The design of the system allows for easy upgrades.

Examples of allow for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In recent years, some school districts have invested in installing emergency windows that allow for an easy exit during a shooting. Amanda Musa, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025 The Sundance online platform has allowed for a more democratic festival experience (feature film tickets cost $35) when stacked against its peer events, which are reverent to theaters only and in less accessible locations. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 Feb. 2025 Our aim is to allow for better understanding of current affairs and complex issues, and hopefully improve the quality of public discourse on them. Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2025 Other pro-split residents, as well as some board members, said the split would allow for more direct oversight of schools, although the trustees did not elaborate on what that would look like. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for allow for 

Dictionary Entries Near allow for

Cite this Entry

“Allow for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allow%20for. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

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