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- Dictionaryper·mis·sive/pərˈmisiv/
adjective
- 1. allowing or characterized by great or excessive freedom of behavior: "the permissive society of the 60s and 70s"
- 2. allowed but not obligatory; optional: "the Hague Convention was permissive, not mandatory"
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1. archaic : granted on sufferance : tolerated. 2. a. : granting or tending to grant permission : tolerant. b. : deficient in firmness or control : indulgent, lax. 3. : allowing discretion : optional. reduced the permissive retirement age from 65 to 62. 4. : supporting growth or genetic replication (as of a virus) permissive host cells.
A person or society that is permissive allows behaviour that other people might disapprove of: It's a very permissive school where the children are allowed to do whatever they want. He claims that society has been far too permissive towards drugs. Opposite. illiberalformal.
Permissive definition: habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.. See examples of PERMISSIVE used in a sentence.
Being permissive is the opposite of being strict. Permissive parents let their kids stay up later and have more sweets. A permissive person is a little more lenient or loosey-goosey with the rules. A permissive teacher is easier on the students and lets them get away with more.
adjective. A permissive person, society, or way of behaving allows or tolerates things which other people disapprove of. ...the permissive tolerance of the 1960s. Synonyms: tolerant, liberal, open-minded, indulgent More Synonyms of permissive. permissiveness uncountable noun.
1. tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid. 2. granting or expressing permission: a permissive nod. 3. optional. 4. Genetics. (of a cell) permitting replication of a strand of DNA that could be lethal, as a viral segment or mutant gene.
Granting or inclined to grant permission; tolerant or lenient. Permissive parents. American Heritage Medicine. Giving permission; that permits. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. Allowing freedom; esp., tolerant of behavior or practices generally disapproved of by others; indulgent; lenient. Webster's New World. Similar definitions.
allowing or showing a freedom of behaviour that many people do not approve of, especially in sexual matters. permissive attitudes. permissive parents (= who allow their children a lot of freedom) Extra Examples. a highly permissive attitude. a society that is sexually permissive.
PERMISSIVE definition: allowing people to behave in ways that other people may not approve of: . Learn more.
Definition of permissive adjective in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
