legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz 
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
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
Coming out of the pandemic, Jason Dayton, cofounder of Minneapolis Cider Company, got into the hemp THC business after a 2022 state law explicitly legalized the products with certain regulations.
—
Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
In September, hemp businesses collected signatures to repeal the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana and replace it with regulations that are no more burdensome than regulations for alcohol and tobacco.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
When my parents married in 1977, my mother legalized his status.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
In September, hemp businesses collected signatures to repeal the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana and replace it with regulations that are no more burdensome than regulations for alcohol and tobacco.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
When my parents married in 1977, my mother legalized his status.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
wanted to legalize gambling in their city
Legal Definition
legalize
transitive verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization
noun
legalizer
noun
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