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
Cannabis status by state California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996.
—
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 25 July 2025
Jaworski has argued the state should legalize taxing services.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Separately, Congress is also moving to close a loophole opened by the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
In 2015, the U.K. became the first country in the world to legalize research into mitochondrial donation treatment in humans.
—Nancy Lapid, USA Today, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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.
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 25 July 2025
Jaworski has argued the state should legalize taxing services.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Separately, Congress is also moving to close a loophole opened by the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
In 2015, the U.K. became the first country in the world to legalize research into mitochondrial donation treatment in humans.
—Nancy Lapid, USA Today, 17 July 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 19 Aug. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share