clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

1

: an act or process of clearing: such as

a

: the removal of buildings from an area (such as a city slum)

b

: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse

also : the papers showing that a ship has cleared

c

: the offsetting of checks and other claims among banks through a clearinghouse

d

: certification as clear of objection : authorization

security clearance

e

: a sale to clear out stock

f

: authorization for an aircraft to proceed especially with a specified action

clearance to land

2

: the distance by which one object clears another or the clear space between them

3

: the volume of blood or plasma that can be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time by its excretion into the urine through the kidneys

a creatine clearance of 25 milliliters per minute

called also renal clearance

Synonyms

• allowance
• authorization
• concurrence
• consent
• granting
• green light
• leave
• license
• licence
• permission
• sanction
• sufferance
• warrant

Examples of clearance in a Sentence

She has a security clearance that allows her to see the classified information.

The pilot got clearance to land.

That flight has not received clearance for landing.

There was only 10 inches of clearance between the car and the side of the tunnel.

a bridge with a 100-foot clearance above the water

the clearance of forests for farming

slum clearance to make room for new housing

Recent Examples on the Web

Brandon Gorski, a junior at Mater Dei, likely will need his county-leading clearance of 6-feet-8 in the high jump to get a medal in the event at Arcadia. —Steve Fryer, Orange County Register, 8 Apr. 2024

The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into a Southwest flight that veered off course while on approach to land at New York's LaGuardia Airport and may have buzzed the air traffic control tower with as little as 67 feet of clearance, CBS News has learned. —Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024

Tractor-trailers with clearance to use the tunnels will be inspected for hazardous materials, which may cause further delays. —Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024

Departures could be a challenge for certain aircraft depending on their level of clearance, the agency said. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024

The ship crashed into a pillar toward one side of the bridge instead of crossing under the middle of the bridge, where the clearance is highest. —Holly Yan, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024

Parked on the tarmac, awaiting final Israeli flight clearance was the fleet providing today’s aid: four Jordanian cargo planes and a handful of foreign aircraft, including just one U.S. Air Force C-130. —Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024

Last fall, the administration conducted another large-scale clearance at Mass and Cass. —E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2024

When Lemon asks if Musk believes his mental state and ketamine use will impact his government contracts, rights, and clearances in the corporate world, Musk says investors should fear the opposite. —Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing clearance

• clearance sale
• road/ground clearance
• security clearance
• renal clearance

Kids Definition

clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

1

a

: an act or process of clearing

b

: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse

c

: the papers showing that a ship has cleared

d

: authorization for an airplane to proceed

2

: a sale to clear out stock

3

: the distance by which one object keeps from hitting or touching another or the clear space between them

Medical Definition

clearance

noun

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s 

: the volume of blood or plasma that could be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time (usually one minute) by excretion of the constituent into the urine through the kidneys

called also renal clearance