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
Examples of legality in a Sentence
the senator questioned the legality of the proposed surveillance operation
Recent Examples on the Web
That agreement was the culmination of a lawsuit filed in February 2018 in San Diego federal court against the first Trump administration that initially centered on the legality of separating migrant parents and children who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border.
—
Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
In Tuesday's vote, Carey looked to clarify the legality of the initial agreement after it was signed by the chief of police, instead of City Manager Brian Barroso.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
While disputes over governance structures and the legalities of nonprofit ownership may seem tedious and disconnected from the lives of everyday people, OpenAI’s future has huge implications for the well-being of society.
—Orson Aguilar, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits over the tariffs asked the Supreme Court to take up the issue on an urgent timeline, requesting that justices hear oral arguments over the tariffs’ legality as soon as their next term begins, or even sooner.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for legality
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Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
In Tuesday's vote, Carey looked to clarify the legality of the initial agreement after it was signed by the chief of police, instead of City Manager Brian Barroso.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
While disputes over governance structures and the legalities of nonprofit ownership may seem tedious and disconnected from the lives of everyday people, OpenAI’s future has huge implications for the well-being of society.
—Orson Aguilar, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits over the tariffs asked the Supreme Court to take up the issue on an urgent timeline, requesting that justices hear oral arguments over the tariffs’ legality as soon as their next term begins, or even sooner.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for legality
Cite this Entry
“Legality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legality. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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