permission

noun

per·​mis·​sion pər-ˈmi-shən 

1

: the act of permitting

2

: formal consent : authorization

Synonyms

• allowance
• authorization
• clearance
• concurrence
• consent
• granting
• green light
• leave
• license
• licence
• sanction
• sufferance
• warrant

Examples of permission in a Sentence

They got permission from the city to build an apartment complex.

The teacher gave me her permission to go home early.

Recent Examples on the Web

Before they could be disposed of, Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of Harvard, the donor of the cadavers or the donor's family, according to the U.S. attorney's office. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 24 May 2025

Shadow on projects that excite you (with your manager’s permission). —Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

The lawsuit sought to block the company from reopening its shuttered detention center on the outskirts of town without first requesting and receiving permission from local officials. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025

Marasco's lawsuit alleges Swift and her collaborators used Marasco's poetry without permission. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin permission-, permissio, from permittere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for permission

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition

Kids Definition

permission

noun

per·​mis·​sion pər-ˈmish-ən 

1

: the act of permitting

2

: the consent of a person in authority

has permission to leave