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

However, in June 2025, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni's countersuit, ruling that many of the statements at issue were legally protected and that the claims did not meet the legal standards required to proceed. —Janelle Ash , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026

How much can Texas landlords legally charge in late fees? —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026

The dispute centers on a long-standing affiliation agreement under which the Kennedy Center managed donations on behalf of the opera for roughly 15 years, while the two organizations remained legally separate entities. —Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2026

The Blackfriar Pub is one of dozens of venues paying big money to legally air FIFA World Cup matches. —Marissa Armas, CBS News, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for legally

• illegally