clearance
Americannoun
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clearances
plural
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the act of clearing.
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the distance between two objects; an amount of clear space.
The bridge allowed a clearance of 37 feet at mean high water.
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a formal authorization permitting access to classified information, documents, etc.
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Also called clearance sale. the disposal of merchandise at reduced prices to make room for new goods.
He bought the coat for half price at a clearance.
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a clear space; a clearing.
The house stood in a clearance among the trees.
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Banking. an exchange of checks and other commercial paper drawn on members of a clearinghouse, usually effected at a daily meeting of the members.
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Machinery. a space between two moving parts, left to avoid clashing or to permit relatively free motion.
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the angle between a face of a cutting tool, as a lathe tool, and the work.
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Nautical.
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the clearing of a ship at a port.
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Also called clearance papers. the official papers certifying this.
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Medicine/Medical. a test of the excretory function of the kidneys based on the volume of blood that is cleared of a specific substance per minute by renal excretion.
noun
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the process or an instance of clearing
slum clearance
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( as modifier )
a clearance order
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space between two parts in motion or in relative motion
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permission for an aircraft, ship, passengers, etc, to proceed
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official permission to have access to secret information, projects, areas, etc
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banking the exchange of commercial documents drawn on the members of a clearing house
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the disposal of merchandise at reduced prices
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( as modifier )
a clearance sale
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sport
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the act of hitting or kicking a ball out of the defensive area, as in football
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an instance of this
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the act of clearing an area of land of its inhabitants by mass eviction See Highland Clearances
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dentistry the extraction of all of a person's teeth
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a less common word for clearing
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Etymology
Origin of clearance
Vocabulary lists containing clearance
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
VU researcher Dr. James Broatch led the analysis, which examined how exercise may influence the glymphatic system, a brain waste clearance pathway that is especially active during sleep.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
The FAA clearance “validates the rigor of our airplane’s design and recognizes the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team,” Boeing said in a statement.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
In 2018, Qualcomm terminated its proposed purchase of Dutch chip maker NXP Semiconductors after failing to obtain clearance from China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
According to Homeland Security, members of the Trusted Traveler Program “use expedited clearance lanes on arrival at U.S. airports and when crossing international land and sea borders.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
They had first heard that all Biafran university staff was to report for military clearance at Enugu.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
But the company now sees healthy demand for its services, including in national security for workers who need security clearances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
“These clearances recognize that the combination of Paramount and WBD will enhance consumer choice and enable a creative-first company to invest in more projects and bring stories to audiences worldwide,” Paramount said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Castlelake would agree to a “‘best endeavors’ commitment in any cooperation agreement to obtain any regulatory clearances and approvals required to consummate the transaction,” it added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Jordan Pickford: Some wayward clearances in the first half and may feel he should have done better with the first Croatia goal.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
Both Robert and Charlotte Serber had held security clearances at Los Alamos, where Charlotte served as the lab’s indispensable librarian.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
