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
As of December 2025, 40 states had legalized medical marijuana and more than 20 states had legalized recreational use, according to DISA Global Solutions.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
Abe newly interpreted Article 9 as legalizing collective defense.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
More than three dozen states have legalized marijuana use in some form or another.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 27 Dec. 2025
Red Lake’s original NativeCare dispensary, located on tribal land in Beltrami County, was the first dispensary to open after the state legalized the sale of cannabis in August 2023.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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.
Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
Abe newly interpreted Article 9 as legalizing collective defense.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
More than three dozen states have legalized marijuana use in some form or another.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 27 Dec. 2025
Red Lake’s original NativeCare dispensary, located on tribal land in Beltrami County, was the first dispensary to open after the state legalized the sale of cannabis in August 2023.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 7 Jan. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share