Definition, synonyms and related words
simple past tense and past participle of allow
"She was not allowed to enter the building because she did not have a badge."
In plain English: To be allowed is when someone gives you permission to do something.
"My mom allowed me to stay up late on my birthday."
Usage: Use "allowed" to describe an action that was permitted in the past or to indicate that someone has been given permission up to now. It functions as both the simple past tense and the past participle of the verb allow.
Allotted.
"The manager allowed only three hours for lunch, so we had to rush back to work quickly."
In plain English: Allowed means something is permitted or okay to do by the rules or someone in charge.
"The new security rules made every passenger allowed on the plane feel much safer."
Usage: Use "allowed" as an adjective only when it means allotted or permitted to be used, such as in "an allowed amount of time." In most cases, this usage is awkward and writers should prefer clearer terms like "allocated" or simply use a verb phrase instead.
Derived from Old English alowed, it originally meant to permit or give permission. The term evolved directly from the past participle of the verb allow.