legally

adverb

le·​gal·​ly ˈlē-gə-lē 

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]

Synonyms of legally

• ethically
• fairly
• morally
• honorably
• fair
• cleanly
• clean

Examples of legally in a Sentence

that's not a move that can be made legally in chess

Recent Examples on the Web

After approval, the garnishment order is sent to your employer, who is legally required to withhold a portion of your paycheck. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026

Additionally, many unapproved peptides cannot be legally compounded by pharmacies for human use. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026

Vivian, who came out as transgender in 2020, legally dropped her father's surname 18 years later, adopting Wilson as her last name. —Emma Banks, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026

As of now, the Legislature is set to return on April 20 for a politically motivated, legally suspect session on redrawing congressional districts called by DeSantis. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for legally

• illegally