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”; 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

After Barron’s Live, we asked Katie to address several listener and other questions—about the Magnificent Seven stocks, the Dow Jones transports, and the Cboe Volatility Index—that time didn’t permit during the call.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

That has been exacerbated, she said, by homeowners’ failure to comply with terms of the original permit, which required them to provide sand to cover the geotubes—sand that would naturally erode and nourish other beaches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Planning new projects in ways that avoid harm to wildlife and include proactive conservation plans can avoid lawsuits, permit delays, reputational risks and increased costs.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Last week, the California Coastkeeper Alliance filed a petition asking the State Water Resources Control Board to throw out the facility’s water discharge permit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Perhaps Mamá would permit her to help lift the big mattress and tuck the white sheet under it or polish the mirror in the glittering bathroom.

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty

Related Words

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