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 9th Circuit could affirm the legality of how NFL teams pool broadcasting rights for out-of-town games through Sunday Ticket, which costs fans up to $480 through YouTube TV. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

But the court did not weigh in directly on the legality of the August primary, potentially opening the door for candidates to file lawsuits against the results of that election. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026

Under Romanian law, the indictment gets sent to a preliminary court chamber, where a judge will inspect the case files to ensure legality. — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 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