permissible goal

USAGE SUMMARY

"permissible goal" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts discussing acceptable objectives or aims within certain guidelines or rules. For example: "Achieving a balance between work and life is a permissible goal in our organization." Alternative expressions include "acceptable objective" and "allowed aim."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The rulings went so far as to deny Justice Lewis Powell's declaration in Bakke that diversity is "clearly a constitutionally permissible goal" for institutions of higher education.

The New York Times

It has been 22 years since the court, in the Bakke case, ruled that while quotas were unconstitutional, diversity was a permissible goal to be taken into account in public university admissions.

The New York Times

In contrast, "a permissible goal... require[s] only a good-faith effort... to come within a range demarcated by the goal itself," Sheet Metal Workers v. EEOC, supra, at 495, and permits consideration of race as a "plus" factor in any given case while still ensuring that each candidate "compete[s] with all other qualified applicants".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The Supreme Court case validated the protection of historic resources as "an entirely permissible governmental goal".

Wikipedia

We find endogeneity to be permissible if the goal is to explain the rise of a particular institution (e.g., agency), which is the case in our approach; conversely, it is unsuitable if our interest is in establishing independent casual variables and outcomes.

Globalization and Health

Outside the realm of risk assessment, a wide variety of options are available for choosing the best model, but we argue that these choices are somewhat more limited if they are to conform to the needs of the risk assessor, especially if the goal is estimation of permissible environmental levels rather than occupational levels.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Some of these individual cells drew the line between permissible actions to achieve their political goals and impermissible actions that involved destruction of property and other provocative acts.

Huffington Post

The Supreme Court has said that sex-based classifications are permissible only if they serve important governmental goals and are substantially related to achieving those goals.

The New York Times

On this view, even the substantive aspect of equality of opportunity is a deontological requirement, a moral constraint on permissible action, not a specification of a goal that morally ought to be achieved.

SEP

This makes the "narrative" key for startups, and so founders have to concoct the most bizarre stories imaginable to ensure that their goals fit the particular altruism permissible by our culture.

TechCrunch

"When Egypt started to play better and work harder they scored a goal from a corner, which is permissible," Lippi said.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic writing, ensure the 'permissibility' is clearly linked to a specific set of rules, ethics or constitutional standards to provide context for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "permissible goal" when the objective is actually mandatory. A permissible goal is one that is allowed if chosen, but does not carry the weight of a requirement. Use a phrase like "compelling interest" or "mandatory requirement" if the goal must be pursued.

Linguistic Context

In terms of grammatical function, "permissible goal" acts as a noun phrase where the adjective 'permissible' modifies the noun 'goal'. According to Ludwig AI, it is frequently used as a predicate nominative or as part of a prepositional phrase to define the legal or moral status of an objective.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "permissible goal" is a specialized and formal phrase used to denote objectives that are acceptable within a given legal or ethical framework. Ludwig AI shows that it is particularly prevalent in high-stakes reporting on Supreme Court rulings and scientific ethics. While its occurrence in everyday speech is rare, its precision makes it indispensable for legal writing and academic analysis. When using it, ensure that you are distinguishing an allowed objective from a mandatory one. Alternatives like legitimate end or acceptable objective can provide similar meaning with slightly different stylistic nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acceptable objective

uses a more general adjective suitable for business and project management

legitimate end

common in philosophical and legal discourse to describe a valid final purpose

lawful target

specifically emphasizes that the objective is within the bounds of the law

authorized purpose

carries a bureaucratic or regulatory nuance implying official permission

allowed aim

offers a simpler, slightly less formal alternative to describe what is permitted

defensible outcome

suggests an objective that can be justified or protected under scrutiny

valid intention

focuses more on the actor's state of mind rather than the result itself

sanctioned result

implies that the goal has been formally approved by an authority

admissible target

often used in technical or evidentiary contexts where specific criteria must be met

rightful aspiration

introduces a moral or ethical dimension to what one hopes to achieve

FAQs

How do I use "permissible goal" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an objective allowed by law or ethics, such as: "The court ruled that maintaining a diverse student body is a "permissible goal" for the university".

What can I say instead of "permissible goal"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "acceptable objective", "legitimate end" or "allowed aim".

Which is correct: "permissible goal" or "permitted goal"?

Both are grammatically correct. However, "permissible goal" is the standard term in legal and academic writing (as seen in Ludwig examples from the Supreme Court), whereas "permitted goal" sounds more like a specific, singular allowance.

Is "permissible goal" a formal phrase?

Yes, it is primarily used in formal registers. If you are writing a casual email, you might prefer a simpler alternative like "okay to do" or allowed aim.