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
Sinan Ciddi, a Turkey expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Ankara’s political protection of Hamas — paired with its hostility toward Israeli military actions — has created a permissive sanctuary that Israeli pressure alone cannot shut down.
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Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Corporations set up shop in cities that had good clubs, cool galleries, great theaters, and a pleasantly permissive nightlife.
—Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
In some permissive states, average rates exceed 600 percent; Texas has been reported around 664 percent.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Combined with the removal of licensing procedures and training requirements, laws that broaden the right to use deadly force create a permissive environment for opportunistic violence.
—Caroline Light, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for permissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permissive
Adjective
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Gently clean the seal regularly baking soda or dish soap to remove mold and keep it flexible.—
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With more than $2 million raised through crowdfunding, Zero Zero Robotics says AQUA has drawn strong interest from watersport enthusiasts looking for a more durable and flexible aerial filming tool.—
Adjective
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Double islands have been used to add valuable workspace and storage in open kitchens, as well as to accommodate activities such as informal dining.—
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The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) has scouts in different countries monitoring players who are eligible for them from a young age, but Nigeria’s approach is more informal.—
Adjective
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The civilian group has often found itself in the crosshairs of the city’s combative politics, facing accusations that its commissioners are either too cynical or overly lenient toward the police.—
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Given the evidence weighted against Williams and his deal with prosecutors, Guevara was given a more lenient sentence of 10 years.—
Adjective
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The founders argue that automation should be accessible to smaller operators, including neighborhood bars and private event spaces.—
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For everyday cooking, a tube makes tomato paste this effective flavor tool in your arsenal even more accessible.—
Adjective
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After the '23 season, Cignetti accepted the head coaching job at Indiana University, and, because of the then-new lax transfer policy, took more than a dozen of his JMU players with him to Bloomington.—
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After the ‘23 season, Cignetti accepted the head coaching job at Indiana University, and, because of the then-new lax transfer policy, took more than a dozen of his JMU players with him to Bloomington.—
Cite this Entry
“Permissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permissive. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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