1. plural of preclearance; official approval or authorization granted in advance before an action is taken
Usage: commonly used in legal, regulatory, and business contexts; often refers to advance approval from government agencies or compliance bodies
2. in voting rights law, advance approval required by certain jurisdictions before changing voting procedures or district boundaries
Usage: legal/political term; historically associated with the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Examples

• The company obtained preclearances from the FDA before launching its new medication.
• Mortgage preclearances help buyers understand their borrowing capacity early in the home-buying process.
• Several states required preclearances for changes to their voting districts.
• The regulatory body issued preclearances for the merger to proceed.
• Preclearances from the ethics committee were necessary before the research could begin.
• Banks often provide preclearances to qualified applicants to streamline the loan approval process.