Skip to content
WORDS, MADE CLEAR.
Your everyday English companion

Home/Dictionary/clearance
English dictionary

clearance Meaning & Definition

/ˈklɪə̯.ɹəns/

What Does Clearance Mean?

As a noun, clearance means The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared. It can also mean The distance between two moving objects, especially between parts of a machine.

Word Facts for Clearance

Part of speechnoun
Pronunciation/ˈklɪə̯.ɹəns/
Syllables2
Synonymsheadway and headroom
Pluralclearances

Clearance Definition (Noun)

  1. The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared.
  2. The distance between two moving objects, especially between parts of a machine
  3. The height or width of a tunnel, bridge or other passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage; a gap, headroom.

    Clearance on these freeway overpasses is limited, so big trucks must detour.

  4. A permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel.

    The plane got clearance from air traffic control, and we were off.

  5. A permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information.
  6. A permission to use something, usually intellectual property, that is legally, but not otherwise, protected.
  7. A sale of merchandise, especially at significantly reduced prices, usually in order to make room for new merchandise or updated versions of the same merchandise; sometimes as a closeout.
  8. The settlement of transactions involving securities or means of payment such as checks by means of a clearing house.
  9. The removal of harmful substances from the blood; renal clearance.
  10. The act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at one visit.
  11. The act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending.
  12. Removal of pieces from a rank, file or diagonal so that a bishop, rook or queen is free to move along it.
  13. Clear or net profit.
  14. The first disposal in a chain that leaves the area of a stoppage, or a disposal that leaves the area of a stoppage itself.
  15. The act of leaving the area of a stoppage.

Noun

  1. (retail) A sale of merchandise, especially at significantly reduced prices in order to make room for new merchandise or updated versions of the same merchandise.

Synonyms of Clearance

Clearance synonyms and antonyms →

Clearance in a Sentence

Clearance on these freeway overpasses is limited, so big trucks must detour.

The plane got clearance from air traffic control, and we were off.

He got clearance to travel to America, even though he had previous links to terrorists.

He got clearance to travel to America, even though he had previous links to terrorists

Word Forms & Grammar

clearance (countable and uncountable, plural clearances)

Words That Rhyme With Clearance

Origin of Clearance

From clear + -ance.

Pronouncing Clearance

Clearance is pronounced /ˈklɪə̯.ɹəns/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (klɪə̯).

Questions People Ask About Clearance

What part of speech is clearance?

Clearance is a noun.

What is another word for clearance?

You can replace clearance with words such as headway and headroom. See the full list of clearance synonyms and antonyms.

What is the plural of clearance?

The plural of clearance is clearances.

More About Clearance On Meaning Stash

More Words Starting With “Clea”

Trending On Meaning Stash This Week