Meanings
comparative more allowable · superlative most allowable
- Appropriate; acceptable.
Synonyms: apposite, proper, appropriate, apropos, apposite, apt, comely, commensurate
- Intellectually admissible; valid; probable.
Synonyms: likely, reasonable
- Able to be added or deducted in consideration of something.
- Permissible; tolerable; legitimate.
New HISA regulations, implemented last month, include strict rules about withdrawal times and allowable medication levels on race day.
2023 June 10, Majlie de Puy Kamp, Curt Devine, Audrey Ash, Casey Tolan, Allison Gordon and Pamela Brown, “As horse racing’s best trainers rake in millions, records show they’ve violated rules aimed at keeping the animals safe”, in CNN1 more example
And first, although there were more things in nature then words which did expresse them, yet even in these mute and silent discourses, to expresse complexed significations, they took a liberty to compound and piece together creatures of allowable formes unto mixtures inexistent […]
1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLCSynonyms: acceptable, leveful, permissible, abideable, acceptable, admissible, permissible, sufferable
- obsoletePraiseworthy.
Synonyms: applaudable, commendable, laudable, admirable, commendable, creditable, estimable, glorious
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveAppropriate; acceptable.
adjectiveIntellectually admissible; valid; probable.
adjectivePermissible; tolerable; legitimate.
adjectivePraiseworthy.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivedeductible according to the tax laws
adjectivethat may be permitted especially as according to rule
adjectivedeserving to be allowed or considered
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchalouable
- Middle Englishallowable
- Englishallowable
From Middle English allowable, alowable, a borrowing from Old French alouable (Modern French allouable), from allouer, equivalent to allow + -able.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
allowable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allowable
“allowable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allowable. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “allowable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allowable.
Source: allowable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.