the green light

noun

: permission to start or continue something (such as a project)
His boss finally gave him the green light to start the new project.

Examples of the green light in a Sentence

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From highways to side streets, millions depend on digital navigation — but do North Carolina laws give drivers the green light or flash a warning instead? Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025 The court gave the green light for those sweeping immigration operations to continue in Los Angeles — a decision that was praised by the White House and castigated by immigrant rights advocates. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 On Wednesday, Stephen Miran’s nomination to become a Fed governor got the green light in a procedural Senate committee vote Wednesday. Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 This time, though, a carriage procession through the estate at Windsor has been given the green light, no doubt in no small part because it will not be overlooked in the way that London streets are. Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the green light

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Cite this Entry

“The green light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20green%20light. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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