allow and permit share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. allow means “make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen”. permit means “a legal document giving official permission to do something”. allow is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈlaʊ/
1.v.make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
“This permits the water to rush in”
2.v.consent to, give permission
“She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband”
3.v.let have
“grant permission”
/pɚˈmɪt/
1.n.a legal document giving official permission to do something
2.n.the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
3.n.large game fish; found in waters of the West Indies
| allow | permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈlaʊ/ | /pɚˈmɪt/ |
| Said | uh-LOW | pur-MIT |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 10 | 6 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | let, permit | license, licence |
Full entry for allow · Full entry for permit · More comparisons