green light

noun

: authority or permission to proceed

green-light

ˈgrēn-ˌlīt 

transitive verb

Synonyms of green light

• permission
• authorization
• consent
• granting
• sanction
• permit

Examples of green light in a Sentence

we were given the green light to use the town commons for our fund-raiser

Recent Examples on the Web

Camera footage showed that Lopez’s truck approached the stale green light at 165th Street at a high rate of speed, which changed to yellow as the truck went through the intersection, court records state. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Police said Wade’s vehicle was eventually hit in an intersection by a vehicle that had a green light and crashed. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026

Roku has given a green light to Scarlett Holmes, a new Roku Original limited series, with Lucy Hale set to star and executive produce. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

With Cruise, the decade-in-the-making project finally got its green light, along with its massive budget. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from the green traffic light which signals permission to proceed

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for green light

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight