as in legal
permitted by law
the mistrust created among investors by the financial scandal has hurt even companies engaged in wholly legitimate business practices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to legitimize
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimate
Warren Wimmer,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
Critics argue that the unintended consequence has been a system optimized for enforcement at scale that can, at times, struggle to distinguish between bad actors and legitimate publishers.
—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Herman and Chomsky took this a step further in their 1988 book Manufacturing Consent, arguing that the mainstream media was unwittingly complicit in a propaganda campaign to legitimate capitalism and U.S. imperialism overseas.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Adjective
The opponents are not fringe, and their concerns — higher utility bills, water draw, noise and competing land use — are legitimate, specific and grounded in how these facilities operate.
—
Warren Wimmer,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
Critics argue that the unintended consequence has been a system optimized for enforcement at scale that can, at times, struggle to distinguish between bad actors and legitimate publishers.
—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Verb
American history either ignores or stereotypes Indigenous peoples for the purpose of legitimating the US.
—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Herman and Chomsky took this a step further in their 1988 book Manufacturing Consent, arguing that the mainstream media was unwittingly complicit in a propaganda campaign to legitimate capitalism and U.S. imperialism overseas.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimate
Adjective
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Those also include new regulations on mail-in voting that are likewise facing legal challenges.
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Nejat received legal support from the Association of Flight Attendants, which has been trying to organize Delta’s 28,000 flight attendants for decades.
Verb
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The biggest near-term catalyst for the cryptocurrency industry could be the CLARITY Act, which would lay out regulatory guidelines and help legitimize the crypto industry.
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Ng’s presence, first as an adviser and starting last season as commissioner, is helping legitimize the new league.
Adjective
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There was a lot of justifiable angst leading into this summer’s tournament, from ticket prices to politics to something as simple as the vibes feeling deeply off.
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While some of the public comments veer into conspiracy-territory, the vast majority surveyed by Futurism express some justifiable anxiety at the idea of a for-profit tech giant spearheading a project like this.
Verb
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Wilkins addressed the criticism in a post on X, saying she wasn't being paid, that taxpayers aren't footing the bill for the event, and that her years in the country music industry validate her invitation to participate.
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Wright’s explicit aim is not to bring readers into Buddhism as a religion, but to argue that its core psychological insights — particularly around suffering and perception — are validated by evolutionary biology and modern science.
Adjective
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Firms also comply with privacy frameworks such as the GDPR and the CCPA when working across jurisdictions and refuse engagements that would require suppressing truthful, lawful reporting.
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GiveSendGo later said the funds were distributed for lawful purposes, including legal defense and family relocation expenses.
Verb
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Because Prestianni had covered his mouth during the exchange, UEFA was unable to gather sufficient evidence to substantiate Vinícius's claims, though Prestianni was nonetheless sanctioned for discriminatory conduct.
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One site, which NPR visited in March after it was emptied out, could accommodate 20,000 workers, according to the UK government which sanctioned its owners later that month.
Verb
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Conceived as an exercise in radical reduction, the movement reflects a design philosophy that privileges essential structure over accumulation.
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But a closer reading of Manfred's answer indicates that Major League Baseball has always and will continue to privilege certain viewpoints over others.
Verb
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So there's evidence now that there was a lot of boosterism and a lot of optimism that was not warranted.
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Those situations warrant proper clinical evaluation.
Cite this Entry
“Legitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimate. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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