permission

permission — noun

1. approval from someone in control that lets you do a particular thing

1.nounB1
Definition

approval from someone in control that lets you do a particular thing

Example

The nurse asked the doctor for permission to leave early.

ask for permission to + infinitive

Ben got permission from his parents to camp by the lake.

get permission from [person] to + infinitive

Common collocations
  • ask for permission
  • get permission
  • give permission
  • without permission
  • permission to leave
Synonyms
  • approval

    broader and can mean support for an idea, not only being allowed to act

  • consent

    more formal and often used in legal or medical situations

  • leave

    formal or old-fashioned, especially in fixed phrases like ask leave

  • authorization

    formal and often used when rules or official systems are involved

Antonyms
  • refusal

    means someone says no to your request

  • prohibition

    stronger, showing that the action is not allowed at all

Grammar Patterns

ask for permission to + infinitive

get permission from [person] to + infinitive

give permission for [person] to + infinitive

without permission

Usage Note

Usually uncountable and common after ask for, get, give, and have, often followed by to + infinitive. Distinguish from sense 2, which points to the formal paper or recorded authorization itself.

Common Mistakes

I got a permission from my mom to stay out late.
I got permission from my mom to stay out late.
this sense is usually uncountable, so English normally does not use 'a'.

2. an official document, or other formal approval, showing that you may do somethin

2.nounB2
Definition

an official document, or other formal approval, showing that you may do something

Example

The company showed airport staff written permission to carry the equipment.

written permission to + infinitive

Workers need special permissions before cutting trees near the river.

usually plural: special permissions

Common collocations
  • written permission
  • special permissions
  • filming permission
  • building permission
  • visiting permission
Synonyms
  • permit

    usually names the specific document or certificate more directly

  • authorization

    a formal term often used in business, law, or administration

  • clearance

    suggests approval after checks, especially for security or procedure

  • license

    often means an official right that continues over time, such as driving or selling

Antonyms
  • denial

    means the authority did not grant the requested approval

Grammar Patterns

written permission to + infinitive

special permissions for [project]

collect the necessary permissions

Usage Note

Usually countable in this sense and often plural when one event or project needs several separate approvals. Common with words like written, special, filming, building, and visiting, and often refers to a paper or stored record rather than the act in sense 1.

Common Mistakes

We need many permission before the concert.
We need several permissions before the concert.
this sense is countable, and English often uses the plural for separate official approvals.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun sense 1, permission is the everyday word for being allowed to do something by a person or group with authority. Approval is broader: it can mean support for an idea, plan, or behavior, not only the right to act. Consent is more formal and is common in law and medicine, especially when the person affected agrees. Leave is a formal or slightly old-fashioned word, often found in set phrases such as ask leave to speak. Authorization is formal and often appears in business, security, or legal settings, especially when rules or documents matter. You ask a teacher for permission to leave class, sign a consent form before surgery, and need authorization to enter a secure lab.

approval ↗consent ↗leaveauthorization

Common collocations

Phrases

  • ask for permission
  • get permission
  • grant permission
  • without permission

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Permission came into English from Latin through French. Its older Latin source meant letting something go through or allowing it, and English later used permission both for the act of allowing and for the formal approval itself.