legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē 

plural legalities

1

: attachment to or observance of law

2

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

3

legalities plural : obligations imposed by law

Synonyms of legality

• legitimacy

Examples of legality in a Sentence

the senator questioned the legality of the proposed surveillance operation

Recent Examples on the Web

Democrats have pressed the White House for months on the legality of its intervention in Venezuela's oil sector and its cancellation of renewable energy projects funded by the Biden administration. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Meanwhile, the legality of the referendum question, which would decide if the votes cast are counted as valid, is an issue still wending its way through the Illinois court system. — Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026

At every stage of development, AI founders must review the legality of their training methods and their outputs. — Tomas Milar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Randy Mastro, an attorney representing the property owners who brought the initial lawsuit against the city, did not dispute the legality of the tax itself but sought to challenge how the city implemented it. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for legality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• lethality

Kids Definition

legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈgal-ət-ē 

plural legalities

1

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

2

: something that is required by law

Legal Definition

legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē 

plural legalities

1

: attachment to or observance of law

2

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

3

plural : obligations imposed by law