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to disallow

to disallow

16 3.9
To refuse to allow something, usually by an official rule
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsəˈlaʊ/
  • Formal
translation icon : prohibir
  • Another teacher reported in prompt two that she was advised by her peers to disallow any violent writing.
  • disallow claims
  • law disallowing

That's because Fannie and Freddie have disallowed landlords from conducting evictions on on properties that have Fannie or Freddie loans on them.

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Examples

  • Our framework would disallow private monopolies operating in the public sphere.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Instead, the governor, apparently of Ohio, is disallowing scientists from getting access to state parks.

  • Your Honor, the People move to disallow this witness.

  • And so we're going to disallow cycles of two kinds, right?

  • Nor can the Assistant petition for appeal, except under an executive rule to disallow the request for assistance.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Many state and federal statutes disallow electronic service of process, lawyers say.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Universities can go farther by disallowing credit card marketing schemes on campuses.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Such being the case, I am instructing our comptroller to disallow all your Hawaiian expenses.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Under the Code, unincurred clean-up costs may be disallowed altogether as contingent claims.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The university will disallow any external funding for projects that do not meet ethical guidelines.

Synonyms

to reject
vsto disallow
839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

applies more to formal prohibition compared with simple personal refusal
to refuse
vsto disallow
716 1.7

To say no to a request or offer

is used for official forbidding rather than individual decisions
to ban
vsto disallow
  • Formal
484 1.4

To officially stop someone from doing something by law or rule

is used also for refusals that are not formal expulsions
to deny
vsto disallow
423 1.6

To refuse to let someone have something

is often used for official bans rather than personal withholding
to turn down
vsto disallow
312 2.9

Refuse an offer, invitation, or request

is used for official refusal or forbidding rather than casual rejection
to prohibit
vsto disallow
299 3.3

To officially say that something is not allowed by law

is broader, covering informal refusal as well as legal bans
to decline
vsto disallow
272 3.4

To say no politely to an offer or invitation

is the stronger official banning sense, not just polite refusal
to rule out
vsto disallow
246 3.5

Decide that an idea, cause or option should not be considered

is an active forbidding or refusal, not just exclusion from ideas
to forbid
vsto disallow
211 3.0

Order someone not to do something

is used more generally, not only as an order from authority
to veto
vsto disallow
156 4.0

To refuse to accept a decision, proposal, or law

is broader, applying to general forbidding not only formal votes
to preclude
vsto disallow
55 7.2

To stop something from happening or make it impossible

is a deliberate refusal or legal ban rather than pure prevention
to nix
vsto disallow
  • Informal
15 8.0

To say no to an idea or plan

is used for formal prohibition and refusal rather than sudden endings
to quash
vsto disallow
  • Formal
11 8.1

Officially say a decision or order is not valid

is used for general forbidding rather than cancelling official rulings
to proscribe
vsto disallow
  • Formal
8 8.6

To forbid something by law or official rule

is a more general denial covering nonlegal refusals too
to interdict
vsto disallow
  • Formal
4 9.4

To stop someone or something by an official order

is used less formally and can include personal refusals
to taboo
vsto disallow
5.6

To make something not allowed by social rules

is based on official or personal refusal rather than social disapproval

Antonyms

1.0

To let something happen or let someone do something

How Strict

to ban
  • Formal
484 1.4
to prohibit
299 3.3
to disallow
  • Formal
16 3.9
to restrict
361 3.1
to permit
531 1.5

Surface Forms

disallow infinitive
disallowed past
disallowed past participle
disallowing present participle
disallows third person singular

Morphology

disallow = allow (transparent) = dis + allow

The prefix 'dis-' straightforwardly adds a negative meaning to 'allow', yielding 'not allow' or 'refuse permission'.

Etymology

Disallow is made from dis- meaning 'not' and allow meaning 'to let or permit'. So to disallow something is to 'not let' it — to refuse or officially forbid it.