1
as in spurious
born to a father and mother who are not married
despite being illegitimate, Alexander Hamilton rose to greatness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
an illegitimate use of campaign contributions for personal expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unreasonable
not using or following good reasoning
made several illegitimate inferences
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illegitimate
The book ends with a battle in which Arthur and his illegitimate son, Mordred, who has unlawfully seized the throne, mortally wound each other; its pages are covered in blood and glory.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 June 2025
However, there has never been a male emperor descended from a female line, as their lack of descent from a male emperor would have been seen as illegitimate.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
For years, Putin claimed that direct talks with Ukraine were impossible because President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government was illegitimate and, more important, Ukraine wasn’t a real country—merely a proxy for the American imperial project.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
Putin has insisted that Ukraine must replace its leadership through elections, describing Zelensky's rule as illegitimate.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 June 2025
However, there has never been a male emperor descended from a female line, as their lack of descent from a male emperor would have been seen as illegitimate.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
For years, Putin claimed that direct talks with Ukraine were impossible because President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government was illegitimate and, more important, Ukraine wasn’t a real country—merely a proxy for the American imperial project.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
Putin has insisted that Ukraine must replace its leadership through elections, describing Zelensky's rule as illegitimate.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegitimate
Adjective
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Today, spurious depictions of South Africa as an anti-white hellscape swim in the same waters.—
Time,
Time,
9 June 2025
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First simply keeping Paul from her, lawyer Laurent then gets the courts involved, filing spurious allegations of the ugliest kind in a successful bid to get her custody suspended entirely.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
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Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, was arraigned in federal court on June 17 on charges of using unreasonable force and obstructing justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said in a news release.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2025
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California Department of Education officials in 2018 found that school staff used unreasonable and unnecessary force in restraining Max.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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The misbegotten union gave birth to the titan towers of Upper Downtown.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
29 May 2025
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Her misbegotten experiment was the culmination of a cycle of extreme policies set off by Britain’s decision to forsake the world’s largest trading bloc.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Jorge Garibay said in a statement Friday, adding that the efforts were aimed at reducing fire risk and unlawful activity throughout the city.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
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The court cited the First Amendment (freedom of speech), the Fourth Amendment (protection against unlawful search and seizure), and the Fourteenth Amendment (due process and equal protection).—
Ashley Fredde,
Idaho Statesman,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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It’s been reopened in chunks, thanks to the unrelenting optimism and irrational persistence of a corps of downtown residents led by Rodriguez and Rosa Chang.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
16 June 2025
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On the other hand, especially given that the vote was still restricted to only a small minority of propertied men, the rise of party politics itself sharpened the age-old mistrust of popular judgment as irrational and easily swayed—especially by lies.—
Fara Dabhoiwala,
Harpers Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Behind the tinted glass of these gateways to the illicit economy, the merchandise tells its own story.—
Edgar Domenech,
Sun Sentinel,
18 June 2025
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The coordinated effort focused on five hotspots in Fort Worth where violent crime, fueled by the trafficking of illicit drugs and firearms, has flared.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The Amazon founder was previously married to Mackenzie Scott from 1993 to 2019, and the couple share three sons and an adopted daughter.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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His adopted daughter, Sandra Correia Lopes, 12, weighs just 12 kilograms, or 26 pounds, and falls sick frequently.—
Sui-Lee Wee,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illegitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegitimate. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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