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
Kilmer’s family signed off on the project, which Voorhees mistakenly interpreted as giving him the green light.
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Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
That car too would never see the light, but the 10-cylinder heart found its way into a roadster concept car called the Carrera GT—and when the Cayenne proved successful enough to fund such a flight of fancy, the beancounters gave it the green light.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
Our crews don't even touch a tree near a line until the power crew gives us the green light.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
In January, the Oakley Planning Commission gave the project the green light, with a stipulation that a conditional use permit be required for data centers to operate on the property.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
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Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
That car too would never see the light, but the 10-cylinder heart found its way into a roadster concept car called the Carrera GT—and when the Cayenne proved successful enough to fund such a flight of fancy, the beancounters gave it the green light.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
Our crews don't even touch a tree near a line until the power crew gives us the green light.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
In January, the Oakley Planning Commission gave the project the green light, with a stipulation that a conditional use permit be required for data centers to operate on the property.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the green light
Cite this Entry
“The green light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20green%20light. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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