adjective
Common
allied
AL-yd
Allied (adjective) means United by agreement or common purpose, especially as partners against a common opponent. Example: “The allied nations agreed to share supplies and protect one another's borders.”
adjective
1
United by agreement or common purpose, especially as partners against a common opponent.
"The allied nations agreed to share supplies and protect one another's borders."
"Several allied groups joined forces to campaign for cleaner rivers."
"The two tribes were allied against the invading army."
2
Related or connected in nature.
"Nursing and other allied health professions are in great demand at the hospital."
"Physics, chemistry and allied subjects are taught in the new science block."
"Biology and its allied sciences share many core principles."
"bacteriology and allied subjects"
How to use allied
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishJoined together with others, either as formal partners or simply as related in kind.
Common pairings
allied forces
allied nations
closely allied
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more allied
- Superlative
- most allied
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Can you complete this real example?
The _____ nations agreed to share supplies and protect one another's borders.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for allied
See all rhymes for allied →Frequently asked questions
What does “allied” mean?
The word “allied” means united by agreement or common purpose, especially as partners against a common opponent. In plain terms, joined together with others, either as formal partners or simply as related in kind.
How do you pronounce “allied”?
“Allied” is pronounced AL-yd (/ˈæl.aɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “allied” in a sentence?
Here is “allied” used in a sentence: “The two tribes were allied against the invading army.”
What part of speech is “allied”?
“Allied” is an adjective.
Is “allied” a common word?
“Allied” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “allied” have?
“Allied” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: united by agreement or common purpose, especially as partners against a common opponent.
What is the difference between allied and aligned?
Allied describes parties united by an actual agreement or common purpose, often as partners against a shared opponent, as in 'allied nations.' Aligned is looser: it means positioned in agreement or support, without implying any formal pact, as in 'a party aligned with business interests.' Every allied group is aligned, but aligned groups are not necessarily allied.
Is it 'allied with' or 'allied to'?
Both are correct, but they lean toward different senses. 'Allied with' is the usual choice for partnerships between countries, parties, or groups ('Britain was allied with France'). 'Allied to' often introduces the 'related or connected' sense, describing qualities that go together, as in 'talent allied to discipline.'
When should allied be capitalized?
Capitalize allied when it forms part of the proper name of a specific coalition, most famously the Allied powers or Allied forces of the world wars. When it simply means united by agreement or related in nature — allied industries, allied health professions — it stays lowercase.
