Meaning & use
ally allies
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Meanings
nouncountable
A country, group, or person that supports and works with another in a shared purpose.
Grammar: Countable: say 'an ally' for one and 'allies' for several.
Patterns
- an ally of someone
- a close ally
- allies in something
Britain was a close ally of the United States during the war.
She became a strong ally of the reform movement.
The two countries have been allies for many years.
nouncountable
Someone who helps and supports you in an argument or difficult situation.
Grammar: Often followed by 'in' before the struggle or cause: an ally in the fight.
Patterns
- an ally in something
- a political ally
- a natural ally
He found an unexpected ally in his sister.
Teachers were her allies in the campaign for better pay.
verbtransitive or intransitiveformal
To join with a country or group to give support, especially in a conflict or campaign.
Grammar: Often used with 'with': ally with a neighbor, or ally yourself with a cause.
Patterns
- ally with someone
- ally yourself with someone
- be allied to something
The party allied itself with smaller local groups.
Several nations allied with the rebels.
He allied with former rivals to win the vote.
Word forms
| plural | allies |
|---|---|
| third person singular | allies |
| past tense | allied |
| past participle | allied |
| -ing form | allying |
Common combinations
- a close ally
- Japan is a close ally of the United States.
- a political ally
- The mayor relied on a trusted political ally.
- ally with someone
- The union allied with community groups to block the plan.
- a natural ally
- Small businesses are a natural ally of the reform party.
- an ally in the fight
- She proved an ally in the fight against the new tax.
Synonyms and how they differ
- partner
- A partner works with you on a shared activity, often in business, while an ally supports you in a dispute or struggle.
- supporter
- A supporter agrees with your aims and backs you, but an ally usually acts together with you.
- friend
- Friend is personal and warm; ally is more about shared goals, often in politics or war.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: ally allies or alloy?
ally allies vs alloy
An alloy is a metal made by mixing metals; an ally is a supporter or partner. They sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'ally' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The verb 'ally' takes 'with': ally with someone. 'Ally each other' is missing the preposition, and 'ally for' or 'ally of' are not the established patterns.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ally allies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.