What does allying mean?
'Allying' is the present participle and gerund of the verb 'ally', describing the act of joining or uniting with another party for a shared purpose. Most commonly it refers to nations, political groups, companies, or individuals forming alliances — as when smaller parties begin allying before an election, or when countries ally themselves against a common threat. It can also describe a looser association, such as allying one's ideas or interests with a particular movement or tradition. The word derives ultimately from the Latin 'alligare', meaning 'to bind to', which gives it a fitting sense of connection and commitment. 'Allying' appears chiefly in formal contexts — diplomacy, history, journalism, and business writing — and carries a generally positive connotation of cooperation and mutual benefit, though it may equally describe pragmatic or strategic partnerships. Its close relative 'allied' describes the resulting state of being joined, making the pair useful for describing both the process and the outcome of coalition-building.
verbThe present participle and gerund of the verb 'ally', meaning to join or unite with another person, group, or nation for a common purpose, or to connect or associate one thing closely with another.
- To unite or form an alliance with a person, group, or nation for mutual benefit or a common cause.
- To connect, associate, or link one thing closely with another in thought or practice.
"The two nations have been allying themselves against a shared economic threat."
"Several smaller parties are allying ahead of the election to increase their chances of victory."
"In her memoirs, she describes allying her political ambitions with the reform movement of the day."
The word 'ally' traces back to Latin 'alligare', 'to bind to' — so when nations are allying, they are quite literally binding themselves together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of allying
'Allying' comes from the verb 'ally', which entered English from Old French 'alier', itself derived from Latin 'alligare', meaning 'to bind to' — a compound of 'ad-' (to) and 'ligare' (to bind). The same Latin root 'ligare' produced English words such as 'ligament', 'oblige', and 'liable', and through French gave rise to 'liaison'. The noun 'alliance' shares this origin, reflecting the word's long association with binding agreements between parties.
Related word forms
How allying is actually used
'Allying' appears most often in formal, journalistic, historical, and diplomatic writing, where alliances between states, organizations, or factions are discussed. It carries a neutral-to-positive connotation of cooperation, though it can also describe strategic or opportunistic partnerships. As a gerund it can serve as the subject of a sentence ('Allying with local businesses proved profitable').
Easily confused with allying
'Alloying' means mixing metals or blending qualities, while 'allying' means forming an alliance or union between people, groups, or things.