permissive
Tolerant of misbehavior
Permissive describes someone or something that allows behavior others might restrict or forbid.
A permissive parent gives children wide latitude; a permissive society tolerates diverse lifestyles.
The word often carries a faint disapproval—implying too much is allowed: Critics blamed permissive attitudes for rising crime rates.
In technical contexts, permissive means optional rather than required: a permissive license allows modification of software.
Tolerant of faults
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- clementMild, showing leniency
- mercifulDisposed toward forgiveness
- compassionateShowing concern for sufferers
understanding · gentle · patient · sympathetic · kindhearted · humane · gracious · softhearted
Too willing to yield
- pamperingLavish attentive care
- spoilingCausing ruin or decay
- dotingExcessively affectionate toward
- coddlingOverindulgent, protective treatment
overindulgent · gratifying · fondness · mollycoddling · babying · cosseting · overprotective · soft
Insufficiently firm or rigorous
- slackAbsence of tautness
- negligentFailing in due care
- carelessInattentive, prone to mistakes
- remissNeglectful of duty
loose · casual · inattentive · heedless · irresponsible · sloppy · slipshod · derelict
Accepting of differences
- acceptingWilling to receive
- broad-mindedReceptive to differing views
- nonjudgmentalNot forming harsh opinions
- open-mindedReceptive to different ideas
unprejudiced · unbiased · inclusive · pluralistic · empathetic · respectful · live-and-let-live · openhearted
Having no limitations
- unlimitedWithout bounds or restrictions
- unfetteredFree from restriction
- unboundedHaving no limits
- unconstrainedHaving no restrictions
uninhibited · unregulated · uncontrolled · unhampered · unrestrained · unobstructed · unchecked · unbridled
lenient
Tolerant of faults
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- clementMild, showing leniency
- mercifulDisposed toward forgiveness
compassionate · understanding · gentle · patient · sympathetic · kindhearted · humane · gracious · softhearted · forbearing
indulgent
Too willing to yield
coddling · overindulgent · gratifying · fondness · mollycoddling · babying · cosseting · overprotective · soft · yielding
lax
Insufficiently firm or rigorous
remiss · loose · casual · inattentive · heedless · irresponsible · sloppy · slipshod · derelict · unmindful
tolerant
Accepting of differences
- acceptingWilling to receive
- broad-mindedReceptive to differing views
- nonjudgmentalNot forming harsh opinions
open-minded · unprejudiced · unbiased · inclusive · pluralistic · empathetic · respectful · live-and-let-live · openhearted · receptive
unrestricted
Having no limitations
- unlimitedWithout bounds or restrictions
- unfetteredFree from restriction
- unboundedHaving no limits
unconstrained · uninhibited · unregulated · uncontrolled · unhampered · unrestrained · unobstructed · unchecked · unbridled · allowable
- family dynamicsfamily dynamics, family roles, family therapy, sibling rivalry, parenting
- parenting stylesauthoritative, authoritarian, neglectful, attachment parenting, helicopter parenting
- policy adjectivesfiscal, domestic, foreign, federal, national
- soft parentinglenient, doting, pampering, coddling, spoiling
- Open LicensingCreative Commons, public domain, copyleft, open source, free software
- Rail Signalssemaphore, searchlight, clear, stop, caution
permissivestrict
Rigorous, without flexibility
restrictive · rigid · intolerant · forbidding · prohibitive
permissiveauthoritarian
Favoring absolute control
domineering · controlling · dictatorial · tyrannical · autocratic
permissivepuritanical
Excessively strict about morals
prudish · strait-laced · censorious · narrow-minded · moralistic
- permission slipWritten parental authorization
- asking permissionSeeking consent beforehand
- file permissionsRules governing file access
- permission deniedAccess refusal message
- parental permission
- permission grantedOfficial approval to proceed
permission, permissible, permissions, impermissible, permissibility, permissiveness, permissibly, permissively