legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz 
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
Examples of legalize in a Sentence
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
The government has legalized the use of the new drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
While expensive, that would still fall far short of California’s priciest ballot measure battle — the $460 million fight over dueling initiatives to legalize sports betting in 2022.
—
Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
More than a decade ago, Colorado led the movement to legalize marijuana.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
That may change soon as the country’s parliament prepares to vote on a groundbreaking bill that would legalize tattooing — which only medical professionals are currently allowed to do.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
The industry has struggled to adapt since voters agreed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, due to overproduction and plummeting prices.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
More than a decade ago, Colorado led the movement to legalize marijuana.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
That may change soon as the country’s parliament prepares to vote on a groundbreaking bill that would legalize tattooing — which only medical professionals are currently allowed to do.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
The industry has struggled to adapt since voters agreed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, due to overproduction and plummeting prices.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
wanted to legalize gambling in their city
Legal Definition
legalize
transitive verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization
noun
legalizer
noun
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