Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
✅ Permission to start 🚀 Eagerness to act
go-ahead

go-ahead

31 3.4
Official permission to start something
  • noun
  • /ˈɡoʊəˌhɛd/
translation icon : visto bueno
  • I just need the go-ahead from you.
  • give the final go-ahead

And then Universal gives the go ahead.

Examples

  • Warden gave the go ahead.

    Jurassic City (2015)

  • In early September, after fine-tuning the data, TU gave the final go-ahead to ITD to send the files to OCLC.

    Academic text (2014)

  • I got the go ahead.

    Maestro (2023)

  • You never got a go ahead?

    The Shrine (2010)

  • When they give us the go ahead, we go ahead and try a pilot project.

  • You have my authority to go ahead with this, but you know where we stand, Irene.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The launch team from Daniel Wood's physics class checked all the systems and gave the go-ahead for launch.

    Academic text (1995)

  • "I think you'll be getting the go-ahead in the next couple of days."

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Val's given me the go-ahead.

    A Street Cat Named Bob (2016)

  • The manager gave the team the go-ahead to start the new marketing campaign.

Synonyms

clearance
vsgo-ahead
  • Formal
223 4.4

Official permission to enter a place or take an action

is the general signal to begin or continue, not limited to access rules
green light
vsgo-ahead
46 2.3

A signal that lets you start or continue something, for example a traffic light

is a general official signal or instruction not tied to traffic contexts
OK
vsgo-ahead
23 1.0

Permission from a person in charge to start something

is a broader official signal or instruction rather than just approval
okay
vsgo-ahead
1 1.5

Official permission to proceed with something

focuses more on the signal or instruction aspect than mere endorsement
O.K.
vsgo-ahead
2.0

Permission from someone in charge to go ahead

is a more general signal or instruction, not only a formal approval
oke
vsgo-ahead
  • Slang
9.9

Approval or permission to start

is the formal official signal or instruction rather than casual approval

Antonyms

to halt
206 2.4

To stop moving or make something stop moving

no-go
  • Informal
9 7.0

Not working or allowed to go ahead

How Official

clearance
  • Formal
223 4.4
go-ahead
31 3.4
permission
∞ 1.0
approval
220 1.0

Surface Forms

go-ahead singular
go-aheads plural

Morphology

go-ahead = go (transparent) = ahead + go

Direct nominalization/compounding from the verbal phrase 'go ahead' meaning permission; learners who know 'go ahead' will readily infer this noun meaning. [Postprocessing: moved 'ahead' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Go-ahead comes from the simple parts go + ahead, which together mean 'start now' or 'move forward'. So as a noun go-ahead is the official 'yes' or permission to begin something.