permissible

1 of 2

adjective

per·​mis·​si·​ble pər-ˈmi-sə-bəl How to pronounce permissible (audio)
Synonyms of permissiblenext
: that may be permitted : allowable
permissibility
pər-ˌmi-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce permissible (audio)
noun
permissibleness
pər-ˈmi-sə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce permissible (audio)
noun
permissibly
pər-ˈmi-sə-blē How to pronounce permissible (audio)
adverb

permissibility

2 of 2

noun

per·​mis·​si·​bil·​i·​ty pə(r)ˌmisəˈbilətē How to pronounce permissibility (audio)
-lətē, 
-i
plural -es
: the quality or state of being permissible
a greater emotional permissibility, a greater readiness to welcome tears or laughter—Irving Howe & Eliezer Greenberg

Synonyms of permissible

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Adjective

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Examples of permissible in a Sentence

Adjective deployment overseas would be regarded as a permissible reason for late filing by members of the military
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
As the Supreme Court changes its views on what is permissible, new policies are injecting religion into the school day. — Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 4 June 2026 Here is an illustration of what might be one of many permissible applications of a Legacy Trust. — Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 An early-stage concept would be creating a short time period ahead of a sport’s transfer-portal window for permissible contact. — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 24 June 2026 What’s more, golf is a sport famed for its adherence to tradition, and not all technological advances are permissible in competitions. — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for permissible

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Medieval Latin permissibilis, from Latin permissus, past participle of permittere

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of permissible was in the 15th century

Rhymes for permissible

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Browse Nearby Words

permissibility
permissible
permissibly
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Cite this Entry

“Permissible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permissible. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on permissible

Nglish: Translation of permissible for Spanish Speakers

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