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
Example Sentences
Some states have more permissive laws than others.
Recent Examples on the Web As the culture of college sports has become more permissive to transfers, players who has not found a role by their third year often choose to move on. 
Nathan Baird, cleveland, 30 Aug. 2022 Much of its testing, however, occurs in Arizona, which has permissive regulations regarding the use of autonomous vehicles on public roadways. Mike Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2022 The message was clear: labor markets have endured decades of overly permissive antitrust enforcement due to a hyperfocus on consumer welfare reflected through prices. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2022 So this permissive atmosphere is hierarchy for them. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 23 July 2022 Maybe your spouse's more-permissive parenting stokes your worry about children into enraged criticism. Jelena Kecmanovic, CNN, 12 July 2022 However, some scientists say the limits currently in place are too permissive, including Joel Moskowitz, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. Bayliss Wagner, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2021 Florida Republican Greg Stuebe observed that West Virginia has some of the nation’s most permissive gun laws yet has a murder rate that’s far lower than cities with gun restrictions like Baltimore and the District of Columbia. Sabrina Eaton, cleveland, 2 June 2022 An anguished soul-searching over Texas’ gun culture and permissive gun laws is unfolding across the latest community to be shattered by a shooter’s rampage. New York Times, 29 May 2022 See More
Nathan Baird, cleveland, 30 Aug. 2022 Much of its testing, however, occurs in Arizona, which has permissive regulations regarding the use of autonomous vehicles on public roadways. Mike Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2022 The message was clear: labor markets have endured decades of overly permissive antitrust enforcement due to a hyperfocus on consumer welfare reflected through prices. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2022 So this permissive atmosphere is hierarchy for them. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 23 July 2022 Maybe your spouse's more-permissive parenting stokes your worry about children into enraged criticism. Jelena Kecmanovic, CNN, 12 July 2022 However, some scientists say the limits currently in place are too permissive, including Joel Moskowitz, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. Bayliss Wagner, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2021 Florida Republican Greg Stuebe observed that West Virginia has some of the nation’s most permissive gun laws yet has a murder rate that’s far lower than cities with gun restrictions like Baltimore and the District of Columbia. Sabrina Eaton, cleveland, 2 June 2022 An anguished soul-searching over Texas’ gun culture and permissive gun laws is unfolding across the latest community to be shattered by a shooter’s rampage. New York Times, 29 May 2022 See More 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
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 permissiveness
noun
as in licentiousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- licentiousness
- excessiveness
- wildness
- indulgence
- casualness
- intemperance
- excess
- offhandedness
- wantonness
- incontinence
- recklessness
- indiscretion
- insouciance
- free hand
- impulsiveness
- carelessness
- immoderacy
- exuberance
- impulsivity
- heedlessness
- carte blanche
- zeal
- zealousness
- fervor
- zealotry
- thoughtlessness
- blank check
- spontaneity
- unrestraint
- spontaneousness
- warmth
- lightheartedness
- enthusiasm
- unconstraint
- unself-consciousness
- naturalness
- abandon
- spirit
- ardor
- abandonment
- ease
- uninhibitedness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- restraint
- constraint
- reticence
- inhibition
- repression
- embarrassment
- suppression
- uneasiness
- discretion
- reserve
- carefulness
- discipline
- self-consciousness
- discreetness
- heedfulness
- self-restraint
- willpower
- self-discipline
- self-control
- self-denial
- self-mastery
- self-command