Meaning & use
unallowed
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Meaning
adjectivenot comparable
Not permitted by a rule, authority, or system.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: an unallowed action; such actions are unallowed.
Patterns
- be unallowed
- unallowed in something
- unallowed by someone
Cameras are unallowed inside the courtroom, so visitors leave them at the desk.
Any unallowed item found in your bag will be removed before the flight.
Touching the artwork is strictly unallowed, even with gloves on.
Common combinations
- strictly unallowed
- Photography is strictly unallowed in the gallery.
- unallowed content
- The moderators delete unallowed content within minutes.
- be unallowed by law
- Such sales are unallowed by law in several states.
- unallowed items
- Please store unallowed items in the locker.
Synonyms and how they differ
- forbidden
- Stronger and more common; it suggests a firm rule or command, often with a sense of taboo.
- prohibited
- Formal and official; used in laws, signs, and regulations rather than casual talk.
- not allowed
- The everyday phrase; use this in speech when unallowed would sound stiff.
Opposites
Word family
- allow verb
- To let someone do something or let something happen.
- allowable adjective
- Acceptable under the rules; the opposite of unallowed.
- disallowed adjective
- Officially refused or rejected, especially in sports or systems.
Commonly confused: unallowed or disallowed? unallowed or not allowed?
unallowed vs disallowed
Disallowed means something was rejected or ruled out, often after a check, as when a goal is disallowed. Unallowed means it was never permitted in the first place.
unallowed vs not allowed
Same meaning, but this is the natural spoken form; unallowed sounds bookish.
Practice
Which sentence uses unallowed most naturally?
Choose one answer.
Unallowed is an adjective describing things that are not permitted, so it fits 'Pets are unallowed.' The other options try to use it as a verb, but the verb is disallow or not allow.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unallowed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.