Meaning & use
align to or with
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
To put something in the same direction, position, or standard as something else, or to agree with a set of rules or aims.
Grammar: Use 'align with' when two things match or agree, and 'align to' when one thing is made to follow a fixed standard or target.
Patterns
- align something with something
- align something to something
- align with something
- align to something
Please align the text with the left edge of the page.
Our sales targets are aligned to the company's yearly plan.
Their policies do not align with what they promised voters.
phrasefixed phrase
To support or agree publicly with a group, party, or country in a dispute or conflict.
Grammar: Almost always used with 'with': a country aligns with an ally, not 'to' an ally.
Patterns
- align with someone
- align yourself with someone
The small nation chose to align with its larger neighbor.
She refused to align herself with either side in the argument.
Common combinations
- align with the rules
- The new safety measures align with the rules set by the agency.
- align to a standard
- All the labs must align their tests to an international standard.
- closely aligned with
- His views are closely aligned with those of the reform group.
- align yourself with a party
- The candidate tried to align himself with the popular mayor.
- align goals with strategy
- Managers should align team goals with the overall strategy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- match
- 'Match' simply means two things are the same or fit together; 'align with' often adds the idea of purpose or agreement, as in policies or aims.
- conform to
- 'Conform to' stresses obeying an existing rule and sounds more formal; 'align to' is common in business and technical writing about standards.
- side with
- 'Side with' is used only for people or groups in a disagreement, while 'align with' can also describe things like plans, data, or text.
Opposites
Word family
- alignment noun
- The state of being arranged in a line or in agreement; also a technical adjustment of wheels or parts.
- aligned adjective
- Arranged in a straight line, or in agreement with something.
- align verb
- The base verb meaning to place in a line or bring into agreement.
- misalign verb
- To put out of line or out of agreement.
Commonly confused: align to or with or aline? align to or with or assign?
align to or with vs aline
'Aline' is an old, rare spelling of 'align'; in modern English always write 'align'.
align to or with vs assign
'Assign' means to give someone a task or share something out; it sounds similar but has nothing to do with lines or agreement.
Practice
The team changed its marketing plan to ___ the new company values.
Choose one answer.
'Align to' fits here because the plan is being adjusted to follow a fixed standard (the company values). 'Align with' is also possible in British and American usage, but among these options 'align to' is the intended pattern for matching a set target; 'align for' and 'align of' are not English patterns.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “align to or with”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.