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permit

[per-mit, pur-mit, per-mit] / pərˈmɪt, ˈpɜr mɪt, pərˈmɪt /




Usage

What are other ways to say permit?

Both verbs that imply granting or conceding the right of someone to do something, permit and allow are often interchangeable, but permit is the more positive of the two. Permit suggests formal or implied assent or authorization. Allow implies complete absence of an attempt, or even an intent, to hinder. Let is the familiar, conversational term for both allow and permit.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Most notably, they permit sex segregation in school athletics by sometimes requiring the creation of boys’ teams and girls’ teams.

From Slate Jul. 15, 2026

A services mobility deal, allowing businesses to provide services for up to 90 days without a work permit, was due to expire in 2029, but the new deal puts this on a permanent footing.

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

Aguilar, who had a permit to carry a concealed firearm, drew his gun, Flores testified.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 11, 2026

“These approaches create a gap. Insurers often rely on standardized estimating software built on regional averages, while contractors price work based on current labor availability, material shortages, permit requirements, and real construction conditions.”

From MarketWatch Jul. 10, 2026

“Ortega does not want his daughter courted by anyone but a rich man’s son. He does not permit Salvador to see her, and Salvador does not. But he will not forget her.”

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty

Still, many require permits that are snapped up by for-profit leagues.

From Barron's Jul. 9, 2026

During the conflict Iran sought to assert its sovereignty over the strait, including by establishing the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" which it said would manage "safe passage permits".

From BBC Jul. 7, 2026

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety does not identify prefab projects in its building permits, a spokesman said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 7, 2026

Government ownership might also yield regulatory favors—such as faster approvals for models, permits for data centers or federal contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 6, 2026

They didn’t know, until they arrived, that they needed work permits, which they couldn't obtain.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Under customary international law, states are not generally permitted to charge tolls on straits used for international navigation.

From Barron's Jul. 11, 2026

With a blind trust, an appointed independent trustee has complete control, while the beneficiary isn’t permitted to offer any input or even know what’s being bought or sold.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

Pubs across the country remained open all night after the government U-turn on licensing laws permitted them to stay open until 05:00.

From BBC Jul. 6, 2026

With those numbers, it was only a matter of time before the line went from discouraged to permitted to everywhere.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 4, 2026

He had kept mother and child in the hospital longer than permitted already because she had nowhere else to go.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

The judge noted that any exemption permitting the use of cannabis for religious purposes would require a sound constitutional and legal foundation.

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

Reframe retained a local contractor who is handling the project from permitting to landscaping.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 7, 2026

For those scholars, permitting unlimited coordinated expenditures by parties may help to realize that goal.

From Salon Jul. 2, 2026

Steel manufacturers want the state and federal governments to streamline the permitting process for new power projects.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 29, 2026

The sentries verified the requisition and stepped aside, permitting SD-03 to roll into the cage.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline




Vocabulary lists containing permit


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