What does permissiveness mean?
Permissiveness names the quality of being lenient, tolerant, or inclined to allow actions and situations that might otherwise be restricted. In everyday discussion, it often describes a social attitude, as when a group is described as permissive about dress, manners, or personal behaviour, and it may carry a negative connotation if the leniency seems excessive. In legal, political, or institutional contexts, the word can be more neutral, referring to the degree of freedom permitted by a rule or policy. The related adjective is permissive, while permission means specific authorization. Understanding the distinction helps separate the general character of allowing something from an individual grant to do it.
nounPermissiveness is the quality of being lenient, tolerant, or willing to allow something that could be restricted. It can also refer to the degree to which a rule, condition, or behaviour is permitted.
- The quality or condition of being permissive; leniency or tolerance.
- The degree to which something is allowed or permitted, especially in legal, social, or institutional contexts.
"The school’s decision to allow more freedom in dress reflected a new, more permissive approach to student conduct."
"The new policy was criticised for its permissiveness towards repeated lateness."
"Legal scholars debated whether the permissiveness of the regulation was consistent with its stated purpose."
The plural is possible when referring to different degrees, instances, or types of permissiveness, but the singular is much more common.
"The study compared the permissivenesses of schools in different regions."
Permissiveness comes from the same Latin root as permission, but while permission grants one specific privilege, permissiveness describes a broader spirit of allowance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does permissiveness come from?
The word comes through the adjective permissive from Latin permissus, a participle of permittere, meaning “to allow” or “to permit.” The same Latin verb also produced permit, permission, and permissible. The noun permissiveness developed later to express the general quality or condition of being permissive.
Related word forms
How permissiveness is actually used
In everyday use, it often implies tolerance of behaviour that some people consider improper. In legal or administrative contexts, it can neutrally mean the extent to which an activity is allowed.
Easily confused with permissiveness
Permission is authorization granted to do something, whereas permissiveness describes a general disposition or approach of being lenient and allowing greater freedom.
Permissive is normally an adjective describing a person, policy, or rule, while permissiveness is the noun naming the quality of being permissive.