permissive

adjective per·mis·sive \ pər-ˈmi-siv \

|Updated on: 18 Jul 2018

Examples: permissive in a Sentence

Definition of permissive

1 archaic : granted on sufferance : tolerated

2 a : granting or tending to grant permission : tolerant

b : deficient in firmness or control : indulgent, lax

3 : allowing discretion : optional

reduced the permissive retirement age from 65 to 62

4 : supporting growth or genetic replication (as of a virus)

permissive host cells

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permissively

adverb

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permissiveness

noun

See permissive defined for English-language learners

See permissive defined for kids

Examples of permissive in a Sentence

Some states have more permissive laws than others.

Recent Examples of permissive from the Web

Uber also has a center for self-driving car technology in Toronto but hasn't announced any plans to test self-driving cars there There are lots of other states with permissive laws for testing driverless cars, including Florida, Texas, and Nevada.

— timothy b. lee, Ars Technica, "Uber wants to test driverless cars in Pittsburgh again—the mayor is pissed," 24 May 2018
Yet a $1 million contribution to a governor’s campaign, taking advantage of Texas’ permissive campaign-finance laws, will attract attention.

— james drew, San Antonio Express-News, "From a ranch in Doss, quiet couple cause a $1.5 million stir in Texas politics," 13 Apr. 2018
Does this relatively permissive new guidance suggest that the FDA is willing to allow a fuller extent of off-label communication?

— john osborn, STAT, "FDA allows off-label health care economic discussions. Is there more to come?," 29 June 2018
In some places people are less permissive than their laws.

— The Economist, "Ireland looks set to decriminalise abortion," 26 May 2018
Texas has some of the most permissive gun laws in the U.S. and just hosted the NRA's annual conference earlier this month.

— CBS News, "Texas gov.: 10 dead in high school shooting - live updates," 18 May 2018
In a new analysis from the RAND Corporation, researchers found that more restrictive laws lead to fewer gun deaths, while more permissive laws are linked with more gun deaths.

— julia belluz, Vox, "When gun owners meet for the NRA convention, gun injury rates seem to decline," 4 May 2018
The company moved its testing operations to Arizona, which is known for having one of the country's most permissive testing regimes.

— timothy b. lee, Ars Technica, "Video suggests huge problems with Uber’s driverless car program," 22 Mar. 2018
The package is done Goldilocks style with one hardline stance, one permissive plan and one that moderates think will be juuuust right.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "The House is revolting," 25 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'permissive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of permissive

Middle English permyssyf, from Middle French permissif, from Latin permissus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

PERMISSIVE Defined for English Language Learners

permissive

adjective

Definition of permissive for English Language Learners

: giving people a lot of freedom or too much freedom to do what they want to do

Medical Dictionary

permissive

adjective per·mis·sive \ pər-ˈmis-iv \

medical Definition of permissive

: supporting growth or genetic replication (as of a virus)

permissive temperatures

permissive monkey cells

Law Dictionary

permissive

adjective per·mis·sive

legal Definition of permissive

1 : based on or having permission

permissive occupancy

a permissive user of the vehicle

2 : granting permission or discretion (as to the court)

a permissive statute

3 : not compulsory: as

a : allowed or made under a standard, rule, or provision that permits discretion or an option — see also permissive intervention at intervention, permissive presumption at presumption — compare compulsory

b : allowed under modern rules of civil procedure although not arising from the same transaction or occurrence as the one at issue in the original claim