What does impermissibly mean?
Impermissibly means “in a way that is not permitted.” It is used when an action, condition, or level falls outside the limits set by law, regulation, policy, safety standards, or another explicit restriction. The word is especially common in formal legal, administrative, scientific, and industrial contexts, such as describing impermissibly high emissions, access, temperatures, or exposure levels. It differs from “illegally” because unlawful conduct necessarily breaks the law, whereas impermissible conduct may instead breach a contract, safety rule, institutional policy, or other formally stated condition. “Unacceptably” is broader and more subjective. Impermissibly is the adverbial form of the adjective impermissible, and its use emphasizes the exceedance of a definite limit rather than simple personal disapproval. Although closely related in meaning to words such as “prohibited” and “forbidden,” it can modify conduct or measurable conditions as readily as it can describe a deliberate act.
adverbIn a way that is not allowed or permitted; in a manner that violates applicable rules, conditions, or restrictions.
- In a way that is forbidden or contrary to the rules, limits, or conditions that apply.
"The factory was ordered to stop releasing fumes into the area at impermissibly high levels."
"The equipment emitted impermissibly high levels of radiation."
"She argued that the committee had acted impermissibly under the regulations."
Impermissibly turns the familiar idea of permission into a question of degree: the action is not merely unwelcome, but exceeds what the rules allow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does impermissibly come from?
The word is formed from the adjective impermissible, meaning “not allowable,” with the adverbial suffix -ly. Impermissible belongs to a family derived from Latin permittere, “to allow,” with the negative prefix in- and the Latin root miss-, “send.” Related English cognates include permissible, permissive, permission, and permissibly, all expressing the contrast between allowing and disallowing.
Related word forms
How impermissibly is actually used
The adverb is formal and is especially common in legal, regulatory, technical, and safety-related contexts. It is stronger and more specific than simply “wrongly”: something impermissible violates an express rule or restriction. It does not necessarily imply criminality, so “unlawfully” and “illegally” are not always exact equivalents.