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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Recent Examples of permissive
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
States with more permissive laws can lower the costs of medical research and product development with cannabis, even if federal drug scheduling continues to restrict access.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
But even among states that have OK’d online sports betting, Florida stands out as one of the most permissive, least protective in the country, according to experts.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
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
States with more permissive laws can lower the costs of medical research and product development with cannabis, even if federal drug scheduling continues to restrict access.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
But even among states that have OK’d online sports betting, Florida stands out as one of the most permissive, least protective in the country, according to experts.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permissive
Adjective
-
For mothers without access to flexible or remote work, summer break is associated with a significant drop in earnings and work hours.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
4 June 2026
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This result suggests that a tiny insect brain can support surprisingly flexible behavior, according to James Nieh, a professor in the department of ecology, behavior and evolution at the University of California San Diego, who was not involved with the study.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Closer to the beach, Pla Pla is a breezy, more informal space for burgers, pizzas, and a handful of Thai favorites in the daytime or steaks and seafood in the evening.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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In the previous two years, sporting directors have made informal approaches to outline the conditions of a potential deal.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Better to have no recall powers than overly lenient ones.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
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Republicans argued his approach was too lenient, while Allred emphasized a combination of enforcement and immigration reform.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Accessibility The property is fully ADA-compliant, with accessible rooms and routes across the property, including to all restaurants, meeting spaces, the spa, fitness center, and business center.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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The reason is that investors don’t seem to like the idea of fractional share ownership, so reducing the share price makes the stock feel more accessible.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Snoring isn’t simply the consequence of lax anatomy in some subset of the population.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Nicole says high beef prices along with lax rustling laws in neighboring states are why Colorado cattle are prime targets for theft.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Permissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permissive. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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