legalize

verb

le·​gal·​ize ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz How to pronounce legalize (audio)
legalized; legalizing

transitive verb

: to make legal
especially : to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization noun
legalizer noun

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
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.
The rapper and former Pimp My Ride host recently filed paperwork seeking to have his divorce from estranged wife Krista Joiner legalized, allowing him to be recognized as a single man under the law. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 28 Apr. 2025 The sale of Delta-8 products in Maryland was legalized in 2023 after a state judge ordered a temporary injunction, lifting a law that formerly banned retailing it. Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2025 Teen use of cannabis rose 26% in Canadian provinces that legalized the sale of edibles and extracts in October 2019, according to the study, which published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025 Psilocybin became the first hallucinogenic substance to be decriminalized in the U.S. after Denver, Colorado voted to legalize possession of it in 2019. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for legalize

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1652, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legalize was circa 1652

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

legalize

verb
le·​gal·​ize ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz How to pronounce legalize (audio)
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
wanted to legalize gambling in their city
legalization noun

Legal Definition

legalize

transitive verb
le·​gal·​ize ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz How to pronounce legalize (audio)
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially : to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization noun
legalizer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on legalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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