1
: in a legal manner : in accordance with the law
a transfer that was not done legally
a drug that can now be legally bought and sold in many countries
2
: from the point of view of law
Legally, she had no claim to the estate.
They were not legally obligated to provide assistance.
a person who is legally blind [=who is blind according to the legal definition of blindness]
legally drunk [=drunk according to the legal definition of drunkenness]
Examples of legally in a Sentence
that's not a move that can be made legally in chess
Recent Examples on the Web
In fact, no bears under 100 pounds can be legally taken.
—
Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
That compares with $12.32 a gram in January, 2023 when recreational marijuana was first legally sold in Connecticut.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
Nearly every state requires motorists to carry some amount of liability insurance to be on the road legally.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Prediction market platforms in the U.S. do not pay the state gambling taxes sportsbook operators do, because they have not been legally defined as gambling, which is among the reasons states are trying to shut them down.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for legally
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
That compares with $12.32 a gram in January, 2023 when recreational marijuana was first legally sold in Connecticut.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
Nearly every state requires motorists to carry some amount of liability insurance to be on the road legally.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Prediction market platforms in the U.S. do not pay the state gambling taxes sportsbook operators do, because they have not been legally defined as gambling, which is among the reasons states are trying to shut them down.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for legally
Cite this Entry
“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share