clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

1

: an act or process of clearing: such as

a

: the removal of buildings from an area (such as a city slum)

b

: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse

also : the papers showing that a ship has cleared

c

: the offsetting of checks and other claims among banks through a clearinghouse

d

: certification as clear of objection : authorization

security clearance

e

: a sale to clear out stock

f

: authorization for an aircraft to proceed especially with a specified action

clearance to land

2

: the distance by which one object clears another or the clear space between them

3

: the volume of blood or plasma that can be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time by its excretion into the urine through the kidneys

a creatine clearance of 25 milliliters per minute

called also renal clearance

Synonyms of clearance

• permission
• authorization
• consent
• granting

Examples of clearance in a Sentence

She has a security clearance that allows her to see the classified information.

The pilot got clearance to land.

That flight has not received clearance for landing.

There was only 10 inches of clearance between the car and the side of the tunnel.

a bridge with a 100-foot clearance above the water

the clearance of forests for farming

slum clearance to make room for new housing

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile the adaptive air suspension varies ground clearance from five inches (127 mm) up to nine inches (229 mm) and lowers automatically at highway speeds to maximize aerodynamic efficiency and cornering stability. — New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026

Planners envision the horizontal clearance being increased from 50 feet to approximately 90 feet. — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026

Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Sprague raised safety concerns in 2023 about clearance space for fire engines and evacuation bottlenecks in the case of a fire, which caused the plan to be shelved. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026

Score furniture and décor for up to 74 percent off in the clearance and outlet section. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing clearance

• clearance sale
• renal clearance
• road/ground clearance
• security clearance

Rhymes for clearance

• adherence
• appearance
• coherence
• preclearance
• disappearance
• incoherence
• interference
• perseverance
• reappearance
• noninterference

Kids Definition

clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

1

a

: an act or process of clearing

b

: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse

c

: the papers showing that a ship has cleared

d

: authorization for an airplane to proceed

2

: a sale to clear out stock

3

: the distance by which one object keeps from hitting or touching another or the clear space between them

Medical Definition

clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

: the volume of blood or plasma that could be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time (usually one minute) by excretion of the constituent into the urine through the kidneys

called also renal clearance