clearance
noun
clear·ance
ˈklir-ən(t)s 
1
: an act or process of clearing: such as
a
: the removal of buildings from an area (such as a city slum)
b
: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse
also
: the papers showing that a ship has cleared
c
: the offsetting of checks and other claims among banks through a clearinghouse
d
: certification as clear of objection : authorization
security clearance
e
: a sale to clear out stock
f
: authorization for an aircraft to proceed especially with a specified action
clearance to land
2
: the distance by which one object clears another or the clear space between them
3
: the volume of blood or plasma that can be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time by its excretion into the urine through the kidneys
a creatine clearance of 25 milliliters per minute
called also renal clearance
Examples of clearance in a Sentence
She has a security clearance that allows her to see the classified information.
The pilot got clearance to land.
That flight has not received clearance for landing.
There was only 10 inches of clearance between the car and the side of the tunnel.
a bridge with a 100-foot clearance above the water
the clearance of forests for farming
slum clearance to make room for new housing
Recent Examples on the Web
The reopened highway, which is dogged by traffic jams in normal times, is likely to be slow going for years as debris clearance and reconstruction continue.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Beyond the immediate injuries and damage to the historic sailing ship, the collision raises significant questions about maritime safety protocols in New York Harbor, particularly regarding tall ship clearance under the city's bridges.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 May 2025
Government infrastructure documents show the bridge has a navigational clearance of 127 feet.
—Joseph Goldstein, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Government documents show the Brooklyn Bridge has a navigational clearance of 127 feet, roughly 30 feet shorter than the height of the sailing ship.
—Nouran Salahieh, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearance
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Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Beyond the immediate injuries and damage to the historic sailing ship, the collision raises significant questions about maritime safety protocols in New York Harbor, particularly regarding tall ship clearance under the city's bridges.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 May 2025
Government infrastructure documents show the bridge has a navigational clearance of 127 feet.
—Joseph Goldstein, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Government documents show the Brooklyn Bridge has a navigational clearance of 127 feet, roughly 30 feet shorter than the height of the sailing ship.
—Nouran Salahieh, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearance
Cite this Entry
“Clearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clearance. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clearance
noun
clear·ance
ˈklir-ən(t)s
1
a
: an act or process of clearing
b
: the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse
c
: the papers showing that a ship has cleared
d
: authorization for an airplane to proceed
2
: a sale to clear out stock
3
: the distance by which one object keeps from hitting or touching another or the clear space between them
Medical Definition
clearance
noun
clear·ance
ˈklir-ən(t)s
: the volume of blood or plasma that could be freed of a specified constituent in a specified time (usually one minute) by excretion of the constituent into the urine through the kidneys
called also renal clearance
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