green light

noun

: authority or permission to proceed
green-light transitive verb

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 Experts note that while adolescent girls work to relate to their changing, unfamiliar bodies, the rest of the world often sees physical maturation as a green light to treat a child like an adult woman. Alexa Lee, STAT, 7 Mar. 2024 Even if Paramount does not receive a green light from the city in time to operate in the former Witherspoon Presbyterian Church next year, the school may still open in a Washington Township private school. Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 Despite the low payoff, that work has become a common sight across the city in recent months: Men and women standing on road medians or sidewalks, squeegees and bottles of cleaning liquid in hand, offering quick window washes while drivers wait for a green light. Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2024 Additionally, the city has been equipping some emergency vehicles with transponders that give LAFD vehicles green lights along their route, a program that could be expanded. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 The light rail was westbound proceeding through the intersection on a green light, police said. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 Some fear that setting a precedent for using frozen assets to raise money for foreign wars could give countries like China a green light to do the same in its internal regional battles. Luke McGee, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Other bitcoin and crypto market watchers have predicted the spot bitcoin hype rally, which began last year as expectations surged the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was about to green light a dozen spot bitcoin ETFs, could be just taking a breather before resuming. Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 While the companies’ statement maintained an upbeat tone, court documents in a civil lawsuit by consumers opposed to the deal revealed that federal regulators were far from signing off on the merger deal Kroger had hoped would get a green light as early as Dec. 15. Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'green light.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the green traffic light which signals permission to proceed

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of green light was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near green light

Cite this Entry

“Green light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/green%20light. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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