clearance

American  

[kleer-uhns] / ˈklɪər əns /

noun

1. the act of clearing.

2. the distance between two objects; an amount of clear space.

   The bridge allowed a clearance of 37 feet at mean high water.

3. a formal authorization permitting access to classified information, documents, etc.

4. 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.

5. a clear space; a clearing.

   The house stood in a clearance among the trees.

6. Banking. an exchange of checks and other commercial paper drawn on members of a clearinghouse, usually effected at a daily meeting of the members.

7. Machinery. a space between two moving parts, left to avoid clashing or to permit relatively free motion.

8. the angle between a face of a cutting tool, as a lathe tool, and the work.

9. Nautical.

   1. the clearing clearing of a ship at a port.

   2. Also called clearance papers.  the official papers certifying this.

10. 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.

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clearance British  

/ ˈklɪərəns /

noun

1. 1. the process or an instance of clearing

      slum clearance

   2. ( as modifier )

      a clearance order

2. space between two parts in motion or in relative motion

3. permission for an aircraft, ship, passengers, etc, to proceed

4. official permission to have access to secret information, projects, areas, etc

5. banking the exchange of commercial documents drawn on the members of a clearing house

6. 1. the disposal of merchandise at reduced prices

   2. ( as modifier )

      a clearance sale

7. sport

   1. the act of hitting or kicking a ball out of the defensive area, as in football

   2. an instance of this

8. the act of clearing an area of land of its inhabitants by mass eviction See Highland Clearances

9. dentistry the extraction of all of a person's teeth

10. a less common word for clearing

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Other Word Forms

• nonclearance noun
• preclearance noun
• self-clearance noun

Etymology

Origin of clearance

First recorded in 1555–65; clear + -ance

Example Sentences

Malaysia’s foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said over the weekend that seven tankers owned by Malaysian firms are awaiting clearance to go through the waterway, state-owned media outlet Bernama reported.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Coach Ryan Campbell said Stokes was scheduled to play the season opener against Kent starting on Friday, but the club are still awaiting clearance from specialists.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz could prove to be a testing ground for unmanned technology and AI in mine clearance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

This allowed them to closely observe how lecanemab interacts with human immune cells and promotes plaque clearance.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

Strauss stage-managed the AEC hearing into Oppenheimer’s security clearance as he had the campaign of calumny that preceded it.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• approval
• authorization
• consent
• go ahead
• green light