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
California has been too permissive about curriculum adoption, allowing widely varying and often unproven materials across districts.
—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
The revenues from the $1,500 permits have been a boon for Rwanda, but have also pushed travelers into less expensive, more permissive markets such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
—
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
The Swedish Film Institute’s Cinemateket, meanwhile, hosted Svenska Synden – a retrospective examining how Swedish cinema’s permissive approach to nudity and sexuality became an international phenomenon that alarmed censors around the world.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Meanwhile, San Diego for years was on the cutting edge of facilitating construction of accessory dwelling units or ADUs, enacting perhaps the most permissive rules in California.
—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
The revenues from the $1,500 permits have been a boon for Rwanda, but have also pushed travelers into less expensive, more permissive markets such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
—
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
The Swedish Film Institute’s Cinemateket, meanwhile, hosted Svenska Synden – a retrospective examining how Swedish cinema’s permissive approach to nudity and sexuality became an international phenomenon that alarmed censors around the world.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Meanwhile, San Diego for years was on the cutting edge of facilitating construction of accessory dwelling units or ADUs, enacting perhaps the most permissive rules in California.
—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permissive
Adjective
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The headband is flexible for a perfect fit, and the adjustable earcups have plush cushioning to prevent pinching.
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The oil market is incredibly complex and significantly more flexible than even the most knowledgeable experts anticipated.
Adjective
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Here the enduring wisdom of Indian spiritual philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, Ojai’s informal patron saint, serves even to hold a recent incursion of ultra-rich to account.
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These employee-to-owner pipelines and apprenticeship-to-owner transitions marked informal forms of employee ownership.
Adjective
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For gardeners who have been slightly more lenient in their control efforts, this means that populations already present are now likely to become significantly more substantial, with a core breeding population already large to begin with.
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But the lenient touch toward one of the game’s worst violations reflects a problem that’s only continuing to grow in the broader sports world.
Adjective
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But Emerald Bay is gate-guarded, accessible only to residents, and its half-mile stretch of golden sand is bordered by the cliffs of two jutting points, geographically cutting off public access via other beaches.
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By developing tech skills online, these content creators are showing young girls that tech and science technology, engineering arts and mathematic (STEAM) careers are accessible and can be customized to fit their interests.
Adjective
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DraftKings and FanDuel’s parent company fell on the news, reflecting the challenge prediction markets, which have flourished amid lax regulations, pose to digital sportsbooks, CNBC noted.
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One reason the economic damage was so severe, Zwick says, was lax lending standards that preceded the crash.
Cite this Entry
“Permissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permissive. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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