allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈa-lə-ˌkāt 

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

ˈa-lə-ˌkā-tə-bəl 

adjective

allocation

ˌa-lə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

allocator

ˈa-lə-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• allot
• allow
• apportion
• assign
• distribute
• lot
• ration

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

Their exhibition made the biggest splash thanks to a $50 million expenditure — more than four times what Congress allocated for the U.S. exhibition. —Ruth D. Nelson / Made By History, TIME, 13 Sep. 2024

In a statement last month, Harvey called on Congress to invest in public health programs and specialists by allocating $322.5 million for STI prevention at the CDC and $200 million for STI clinical services at HRSA. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024

For the past two years, the management has been conducting a strategic review of their business and focusing on allocating capital to their business according to their growth prospects. —Joe Cornell, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024

Lawmakers need to allocate the funds, and the cost of such a program would likely be eye-popping, experts said. —Annie Nova, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2024

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

Phrases Containing allocate

• sub-allocate

Kids Definition

allocate

verb

al·​lo·​cate ˈal-ə-ˌkāt 

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

ˌal-ə-ˈkā-shən 

noun