permissible

permissible — adjective

1. officially allowed because a law, rule, or agreement says it can be done

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

officially allowed because a law, rule, or agreement says it can be done

Example

It is permissible to bring one guest to the company dinner.

pattern: it is permissible to + verb

Under library rules, bottled water is permissible in the study room.

pattern: permissible under rules

Common collocations
  • permissible under the rules
  • permissible level
  • permissible amount
  • not permissible
Synonyms
  • allowed

    the everyday word, less formal and more common in speech

  • lawful

    focuses specifically on what the law permits

  • authorized

    often means permission has been given by a person or institution in power

  • acceptable

    is broader and can mean satisfactory, not only permitted

Antonyms
  • forbidden

    a strong general opposite meaning not allowed

  • prohibited

    common in formal rules, signs, and regulations

  • illegal

    specifically means against the law

Grammar Patterns

it is permissible to + verb

be permissible under + rules/law

a permissible level of + noun

Usage Note

Often appears in impersonal patterns such as 'it is permissible to ...' and in rule-based phrases with under. It is more formal than allowed and is common in notices, contracts, and official explanations.

Common Mistakes

It is permissible that the train arrives late.
It is possible that the train arrives late.' / 'It is permissible to arrive late.
'permissible' is about permission or rules, not about whether something may happen.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, permissible is a formal word for something a rule, law, or agreement allows. Allowed is the everyday choice and works in almost any situation, from school rules to family permission. Lawful is narrower: it tells you something is not against the law, even if people may still dislike it. Authorized usually means approval has come from a person or organization with official power. Acceptable is broader and often means good enough or socially OK, not simply permitted. So a sign may say photography is not permissible, a parent may say phones are allowed, a business move may be lawful, and only managers may use an authorized entrance.

permissible ↗allowedlawful ↗authorizedacceptable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • it is permissible to
  • within permissible limits

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Permissible comes ultimately from the same Latin family as permit, a verb meaning to allow something to happen. English uses the ending -ible to show that something can be allowed, so permissible keeps the idea of being allowed by a rule, a law, or a decision. Because of that history, the word still sounds more formal than everyday allowed.