allocate
Verb
Medium difficulty
What does “allocate” mean?
verb.to distribute (resources or duties) for a particular purpose.
SAT Usage
This term often appears in passages related to economics, resource management, or organizational behavior. It emphasizes the strategic decision-making process behind distributing resources, rather than merely the act of distribution itself, distinguishing it from similar words like "disperse," which lacks the connotation of intentional planning.
Common Confusions
Allocate implies a strategic and intentional distribution of resources for a specific purpose, while disperse usually suggests a more random or widespread scattering without a planned objective.
Example Sentences
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The city agreed to allocate more funding for public schools.
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The manager had to allocate resources across different departments.
Word Parts: How to Remember “allocate”
Break “allocate” into its parts: ad- (to, toward) + -loc- (place). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.
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Prefix:
ad-to, toward (Latin) -
Root:
-loc-place (Latin)