legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē 

plural legalities

1

: attachment to or observance of law

2

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

3

legalities plural : obligations imposed by law

Synonyms of legality

• legitimacy

Examples of legality in a Sentence

the senator questioned the legality of the proposed surveillance operation

Recent Examples on the Web

The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on the legality of tariffs implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026

Advertisement Lawyers for Maduro, however, are expected to dispute the legality of his arrest—arguing immunity from prosecution as the head of a foreign state. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 8 Jan. 2026

Many people are asking about the legality of the ICE shooting in Minneapolis. —Marissa Armas, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

That said, even the Panama invasion had more of a veneer of legality than the Venezuelan one. —Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for legality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• lethality

Kids Definition

legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈgal-ət-ē 

plural legalities

1

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

2

: something that is required by law

Legal Definition

legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē 

plural legalities

1

: attachment to or observance of law

2

: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness

3

plural : obligations imposed by law