clearance
Americannoun
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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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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:
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
Lord Mandelson was announced as the UK's ambassador to the US in December 2024, before in-depth vetting had been carried out, and formally took up the role in February 2025 after being granted security clearance.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
For more than a decade, aircraft entering Yemeni airspace have needed prior clearance from the Saudi-led coalition that backs the government and says it enforces the restriction at its request.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Sir Olly Robbins was fired earlier this year, after it emerged the peer had been granted security clearance for the role despite concerns raised by vetting officials.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
He couldn’t believe a trusted Pentagon employee with top security clearance had leaked information to the press.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
The deal also won clearances from regulators representing 65 jurisdictions, including Australia, China, the European Commission, Germany, France, Spain and Canada.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Any setback in receiving FDA clearances or signs of waning momentum in high-growth categories would likely keep shares under pressure.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Candidates must be vetted for posts requiring federal security clearances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Although many people with security clearances are government employees, millions of private citizens also need clearances to work on military matters or to represent criminal defendants charged with crimes that implicate sensitive information.
From Slate ● May 15, 2026
He told the men: You’ve been selected for your outstanding pilot ratings, your experience in single-pilot jets, and your top-secret clearances.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
