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
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
By this point, the immune system still isn't creating antibodies that flag the invader for clearance by other cells.
—
Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 2 June 2026
But Qatar appears to be more flexible, with a top official saying on Sunday that the country would be willing to negotiate on fees collected for mine clearance or other short-term activities.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
If every truck takes longer, every convoy requires clearance, and every delay exposes more targets, the road can remain open while becoming far less useful.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Over 18 million people now have a pathway to full or partial record clearance in those states and Washington, DC due to these changes.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clearance
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 2 June 2026
But Qatar appears to be more flexible, with a top official saying on Sunday that the country would be willing to negotiate on fees collected for mine clearance or other short-term activities.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
If every truck takes longer, every convoy requires clearance, and every delay exposes more targets, the road can remain open while becoming far less useful.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Over 18 million people now have a pathway to full or partial record clearance in those states and Washington, DC due to these changes.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clearance
Cite this Entry
“Clearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clearance. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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