Guide 128 / 200 5 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “allow”
Five words for different kinds of permission.
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"Allow" is plain. "Permit" is neutral and often contractual; "authorise" grants formal right; "enable" removes the block rather than granting permission; "grant" bestows from authority; "concede" permits reluctantly.
ii · The swaps5 ways
- 01Permit neutral
formal or contractual permission
Permit contractor access to the site.
- 02Authorise formal
grant formal right to act
Authorise the payment above threshold.
- 03Enable neutral
remove the block
Enable SSO for the new domain.
- 04Grant formal
bestow from a position of authority
Grant access to the shared drive.
- 05Concede formal
permit reluctantly
Concede an exception for this quarter.