permit

¹ American  

[per-mit, pur-mit, per-mit] / pərˈmɪt, ˈpɜr mɪt, pərˈmɪt /

verb (used with object)

permitted, permitting

1. to allow to do something.

   Permit me to explain.

   Antonyms:

   refuse, reject

2. to allow to be done or occur.

   The law does not permit the sale of such drugs.

3. to tolerate; agree to.

   a law permitting Roman Catholicism in England.

4. to afford opportunity for, or admit of.

   vents to permit the escape of gases.

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verb (used without object)

permitted, permitting

1. to grant permission; allow liberty to do something.

2. to afford opportunity or possibility.

   Write when time permits.

3. to allow or admit (usually followed byof ).

   statements that permit of no denial.

noun

1. an authoritative or official certificate of permission; license.

   a fishing permit.

   Synonyms:

   franchise

2. a written order granting special permission to do something.

3. permission.

permit ² American  

[pur-mit] / ˈpɜr mɪt /

noun

1. a pompano, Trachinotus falcatus, of the waters off the West Indies.

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permit British  

verb

1. (tr) to grant permission to do something

   you are permitted to smoke

2. (tr) to consent to or tolerate

   she will not permit him to come

3. to allow the possibility (of)

   the passage permits of two interpretations

   his work permits him to relax nowadays

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noun

1. an official certificate or document granting authorization; licence

2. permission, esp written permission

Usage

What are other ways to say permit?

To permit is to allow someone to do something. How is permit different from allow and let? Learn more on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

• permittee
  noun
• permitter
  noun
• unpermitting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of permit¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin permittere “to let go through, give leave,” equivalent to per- per- + mittere “to let or make (someone) go”; see admit, commit, etc.

Origin of permit²

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; apparently by folk etymology from Spanish palometa palometa

Explanation

Permit means to allow. When you permit your brother to come into your room, you let him in. (You can always kick him back out if he messes with your stuff.) To permit means to let someone do something. It comes from the Latin permittere which means "give up, allow to pass through." You might feel like you "gave up" when you permitted your brother to enter your room. As a noun, a permit is a document that lets you do something — like when you get a driver's permit to learn to drive, or a gun permit to carry a gun, or even a construction permit to build an addition to your house.

Example Sentences

The Environment Agency said in two of the three cases, pollution entered watercourses, while in the other slurry stores were installed without the required permit.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Tesla plans to provide ride-hailing services in Las Vegas but has not yet applied for a commercial permit in Nevada, a state official told MarketWatch last month.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

In 2023, we likened FSD to a teenager with a learner’s permit.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

She pushed permit fee waivers for Palisades residents looking to rebuild their homes, calling it a “meaningful step forward in the recovery process.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

She doesn’t have her learner’s permit yet, but I do.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• allowance
• charter
• concession
• consent
• go ahead
• grant
• license
• passport
• patent
• permission
• privilege
• visa
• warrant