# clearance

/ˈkɫɪɹəns/ (US) · /klˈiəɹəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clearance
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. official permission

noun · CEFR B2

official permission for someone to do something or to see secret information.

For teachers: official authorisation for a person to access classified information or for a vehicle to proceed.

- The pilot waited for clearance from the tower before taking off.
- After a rigorous background check, the consultant was finally granted security clearance to review the sensitive government files.

### 2. physical space or gap

noun · CEFR B2

the amount of empty space between two objects that allows them to pass each other.

For teachers: the physical distance or headroom between two objects, particularly in engineering or architecture.

- The truck was too tall and didn't have enough clearance to go under the bridge.
- The architect had to ensure there was sufficient clearance between the moving parts of the elevator and the shaft walls.

### 3. discount sale

noun · CEFR B1

a sale where a shop sells things at very low prices to get rid of them quickly.

For teachers: the disposal of inventory at reduced prices to make room for new merchandise.

- I bought these shoes for half price at the end-of-season clearance.
- The retailer announced a massive clearance to liquidate old stock before the new winter collection arrived in stores.

### 4. removing obstructions

noun · CEFR B2

the act of removing things that are not wanted from a place.

For teachers: the act of clearing an area of obstructions, unwanted items, or people.

- The council ordered the clearance of the old building site to make it safe.
- The slum clearance project aimed to replace dilapidated housing with modern apartments and green spaces.

### 5. defensive kick

noun · CEFR B2

the act of kicking or hitting a ball away from your own goal to stop the other team from scoring.

For teachers: a defensive play in which the ball is moved away from the goal area to relieve pressure.

- The defender made a great clearance just as the striker was about to shoot.
- A desperate goal-line clearance in the final minute of the match secured the victory for the home team.

### 6. medical/biological removal

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the way your body gets rid of a drug or a harmful substance from your blood.

For teachers: the rate at which a substance is removed from the blood, typically by the kidneys.

- The doctor checked the patient's renal clearance to see how well their kidneys were working.
- The pharmacokinetics study measured the total body clearance of the drug to determine the appropriate dosage frequency.

### 7. financial settlement

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of moving money between banks to finish a payment or a trade.

For teachers: the procedure by which a clearing house settles accounts between member banks or brokers.

- The bank said the clearance of the international cheque would take five business days.
- Automated clearance systems have significantly reduced the time required for high-value interbank transactions to be finalised.

## Examples

- The pilot waited for clearance before taking off.
- The truck was too tall to pass under the bridge because there wasn't enough clearance.
- After a rigorous background check, the consultant finally received high-level security clearance to access the sensitive government archives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.