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:
Food and Drug Administration didn’t give clearance to its EchoSolv HF tool for detecting heart failure, says Petra Capital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
"Additionally, our study suggests potential therapeutic opportunities to expedite this process, such as repurposing drugs like SGLT2 inhibitors, which have shown promise in reducing inflammation and promoting immune-mediated clearance of senescent cells in obesity."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Brush clearance rules have been in place since the 1950s, but have been enforced very, very little,” said Christine Bouisset, a University of Pau professor who has studied fire risks along suburban-rural boundaries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Chakraborty sent her husband a photograph showing her Nepal immigration clearance before she crossed towards Chinese immigration.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
They surrendered their phones and were given laminated high-security clearance badges on lanyards.
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
American said both regional jets’ crews followed controller clearances and that the flights landed safely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
For the first two decades, the firm specialised in managing probate house clearances, cessation of business asset disposals and private chattels.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 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 in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Defensively, he consistently shows up as one of the best defenders in the league for his contributions, his tackling, clearances, blocking shots.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
It was taking months to process applications and security clearances.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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.
