the green light

noun

: permission to start or continue something (such as a project)
His boss finally gave him the green light to start the new project.

Examples of the green light in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fewer than 200 have received the green light, however. Umair Irfan, Wired News, 19 July 2025 With the success of the film, Disney has given the sequel the green light. Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Just days after doing so, Verizon and T-Mobile were both given the green light by the FCC for major acquisitions. Brit Morse, Fortune, 17 July 2025 But President Donald Trump is making moves to shrink it after the Supreme Court on Monday gave him the green light to fire more than 1,300 Education Department workers. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for the green light

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The green light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20green%20light. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!