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
Baumrind believed parents who were not authoritarian were either authoritative or permissive.
—
Kelley King Heyworth, Parents, 5 Apr. 2026
And those who find Georgia’s gun laws too permissive say installing weapon detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
And those who find Georgia's gun laws too permissive say installing weapons detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.
—CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Unlike states that never allowed changes to gender markers, Kansas’ move is a striking reversal of its prior permissive policy.
—Darren Rosenblum, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Kelley King Heyworth, Parents, 5 Apr. 2026
And those who find Georgia’s gun laws too permissive say installing weapon detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
And those who find Georgia's gun laws too permissive say installing weapons detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.
—CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Unlike states that never allowed changes to gender markers, Kansas’ move is a striking reversal of its prior permissive policy.
—Darren Rosenblum, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permissive
Adjective
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The result highlighted their potential for wearable electronics, lightweight power systems, and flexible solar applications.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
The booth combined a UR10e case‑packing cell, Vention’s modular conveyor system for product movement and accumulation and a UR20 palletizer, showing how collaborative robots and modular hardware can create flexible, easy‑to‑deploy packaging lines.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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The pair of town hall meetings hosted by law firms operating under the name PFAS Georgia turned out nearly 1,000 people and served as an informal campaign stop for about a dozen political candidates — a nod to the grassroots outrage over the topic.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
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If that window closes without agreement, an informal arbitration process commences — conducted under WGA auspices, conducted by phone, and conducted fast.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jones rejected his plea deal on July 2, 2024, for being too lenient for stalking and shooting a woman 4-5 times in November 2022, which sparked the tirade, court documents allege.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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Others have criticized the White House for taking a vindictive approach and targeting Democratic states that may have larger Medicaid populations and more lenient eligibility requirements.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sealing gaps around windows and doors, adding insulation in accessible areas, installing a smart thermostat, or replacing worn weatherstripping can make a home more comfortable and may help reduce energy use over time.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 May 2026
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Technological advancements over recent decades have made various forms of body modification increasingly accessible — and inescapable on many social media algorithms.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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However, the election itself has a more lax timeline, so Kemp could wait to schedule it until September or even November, leaving District 13 without leadership and mashing the special election up with the normal midterm election for Scott’s seat.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Immediately after the shooting, questions began to swirl over allegedly lax protocols that allowed Allen to get close to the event.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Permissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permissive. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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