as in flexible
often disapproving
giving people a lot of freedom or too much freedom to do what they want to do
permissive parents Some states have more permissive laws than others.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of permissive
In the most permissive and permissive states, non-Hispanic Black populations had the largest increase in firearm mortality among children, says the study.
—
Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
In reality, many public IaC repositories contain risky configurations—from overly permissive access policies to unencrypted storage, as highlighted in Sysdig’s 2024 Cloud-Native Security Report.
—Matthew Sweeney, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Following public outcry, the council and mayor are scaling back the city’s permissive policy on accessory dwelling units.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025
But our state’s law regarding homeschooling is one of the most permissive in the country.
—Peter Wolfgang, National Review, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
In reality, many public IaC repositories contain risky configurations—from overly permissive access policies to unencrypted storage, as highlighted in Sysdig’s 2024 Cloud-Native Security Report.
—Matthew Sweeney, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Following public outcry, the council and mayor are scaling back the city’s permissive policy on accessory dwelling units.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025
But our state’s law regarding homeschooling is one of the most permissive in the country.
—Peter Wolfgang, National Review, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permissive
Adjective
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Helping ease the housing shortage by increasing the supply of small, relatively affordable homes within established neighborhoods, ADUs help slow the rise in housing prices and provide flexible living arrangements for changing family needs.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 June 2025
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The real winners are those who combine strategy with smart systems, focus on value, and stay flexible as technology and markets change and evolve.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Within the outcome document, the drafters champion several strategies to expand domestic tax bases, such as integrating the informal sector into the formal economy and identifying undeclared income and wealth.—
Nana Ama Sarfo,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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Whether for a casual outing, an afternoon of shopping, or even an informal dinner, this combination has the power to transform a simple look into a fashion statement.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Even if local laws are lenient about when you are allowed to operate a leaf blower, timing is key to good leaf blower etiquette.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 July 2025
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Conservative lawmakers have often accused progressive district attorneys and magistrate judges in Texas' largest metro areas of being too lenient with pretrial release.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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This feature in Gmail will be accessible in the navigation drawer, a UI feature that is increasingly rare in Google's apps but is essential to managing inboxes and labels in Gmail.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 July 2025
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This ability opens up several potential use cases, from dynamically prioritizing orders based on shipping deadlines, inventory levels and resource availability to automating the allocation of storage locations based on product demand to ensure high-traffic items are easily accessible.—
Prashanth Cecil,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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When boundaries become too lax, our health often suffers—something Black women, in particular, can’t afford.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 June 2025
-
The co-op allows pieds-à-terre and is pretty lax with subletting, which is permitted after two years of ownership.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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After all, the alternative of Joe Biden and later Kamala Harris was still seen to them as less desirable than Trump—who proved pretty pliable on the global stage during his first term.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
17 June 2025
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The wrappers need to be soaked one at a time in water for about 10 seconds, until pliable.—
Lizzy Briskin,
SELF,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Permissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permissive. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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