permission

noun

per·​mis·​sion pər-ˈmi-shən 

1

: the act of permitting

2

: formal consent : authorization

Synonyms of permission

• consent
• authorization
• granting
• permit
• license

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

As if being lookalikes wasn’t enough, Valentina and Hayek will occasionally share clothes—although neither exactly asks permission before copping a cute dress from the other’s closet. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026

Because the contract was less than $500,000, the administration’s procurement division was empowered to enter the contract without permission from county commissioners. — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026

It is governed by separate legal and political systems to mainland China, and mainland Chinese citizens still must apply for permission to travel there. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

This also means the management involved is also deciding parts of the business that AI could not touch without permission. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

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