Permit
Permit verb - To give permission for or to approve of.
Usage example: the school won't permit such an activity on its grounds
Refuse
Refuse verb - To be unwilling to grant.
Usage example: the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- Under all other permit systems, they can impose additional requirements or refuse to issue you a permit altogether.
- You get fingerprinted and photographed, and unless you have a criminal record, the police shall issue you a permit; they cannot refuse.
Cite this Source
Refuse and Permit. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/permit/refuse
Permit & Refuse. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/permit/refuse>.
Refuse or Permit. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/permit/refuse.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "permit" and "refuse" have occurred on timeline