permission

noun

per·​mis·​sion pər-ˈmi-shən How to pronounce permission (audio)
Synonyms of permission
1
: the act of permitting
2
: formal consent : authorization

Synonyms of permission

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Examples of permission in a Sentence

They got permission from the city to build an apartment complex. The teacher gave me her permission to go home early.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Historical Center worked with the government of Papua New Guinea to secure all the permissions to legally recover parts of the plane, Fiandt said. — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 Recent Brian Epstein biopic Midas Man was granted permission to film in Studio Two to recreate scenes from one of The Beatles’ recording sessions. — Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026 The suit alleges that his relatives secretly shifted away assets and dissolved a three-decades-old sister company without his permission, stripping him of economic benefits. — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 But his larger-than-life legacy also inspired them to take certain liberties, with the permission of Bourdain’s estate. — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for permission

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin permission-, permissio, from permittere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of permission was in the 15th century

Rhymes for permission

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Browse Nearby Words

permissibly
permission
permissive
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Cite this Entry

“Permission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permission. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

permission

noun
per·​mis·​sion pər-ˈmish-ən How to pronounce permission (audio)
1
: the act of permitting
2
: the consent of a person in authority
has permission to leave

More from Merriam-Webster on permission

Nglish: Translation of permission for Spanish Speakers

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