permissive

adjective

per·​mis·​sive pər-ˈmi-siv 

1

archaic : granted on sufferance : tolerated

2

a

: granting or tending to grant permission : tolerant

b

: deficient in firmness or control : indulgent, lax

3

: allowing discretion : optional

reduced the permissive retirement age from 65 to 62

4

: supporting growth or genetic replication (as of a virus)

permissive host cells

permissively adverb

permissiveness noun

Examples of permissive in a Sentence

Some states have more permissive laws than others.

Recent Examples on the Web

Standards and enforcement mechanisms must be coordinated across borders to prevent forum shopping for more permissive venues. —Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

Those that share traits with the permissive style, such as giving in to the child’s demands, might struggle more than those who lean toward the authoritative style. —Anna Earl, Parents, 2 July 2025

Texas has had relatively permissive laws about autonomous vehicles: Unlike in California, there’s no state regulator in Texas that needs to sign off on the service. —David Ingram, NBC news, 21 June 2025

Over the next 13 years, thousands more children died from firearm violence than earlier trends would have predicted – and all of the increase happened in groups of states that had more permissive gun laws, according to a study published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. —Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 9 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English permyssyf, from Middle French permissif, from Latin permissus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for permissive

• derisive
• dismissive
• emissive
• submissive
• transmissive
• missive

Kids Definition

permissive

adjective

per·​mis·​sive pər-ˈmis-iv 

1

: granting or tending to grant permission : allowing

2

: not forbidden : allowable

permissively adverb

permissiveness noun

Medical Definition

permissive

adjective

per·​mis·​sive pər-ˈmis-iv 

: supporting growth or genetic replication (as of a virus)

permissive temperatures

permissive monkey cells

Legal Definition

permissive

adjective

per·​mis·​sive

1

: based on or having permission

permissive occupancy

a permissive user of the vehicle

2

: granting permission or discretion (as to the court)

a permissive statute

3

: not compulsory: as

a

: allowed or made under a standard, rule, or provision that permits discretion or an option see also permissive intervention at intervention, permissive presumption at presumption compare compulsory

b

: allowed under modern rules of civil procedure although not arising from the same transaction or occurrence as the one at issue in the original claim

a permissive counterclaim

see also permissive joinder at joinder

permissively adverb

permissiveness noun