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
Our aldermen should have done this math problem before irresponsibly legalizing these licenses, but in the chaos of budget season, this slipped through.
—
Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
The federal government does not enforce drug laws for marijuana in the same way as other drugs, as more states have legalized the drug.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2026
In 2017, lawmakers passed a bill that legalized charter schools but did not provide a way to fund them.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Which Mayor Johnson had backed a corporate head tax, his opponents' budget relied on an increase in the city's plastic bag tax, overhauling the tax on off-premise liquor sales; legalizing video gambling terminals in Chicago, and opening up new advertising opportunities.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
The federal government does not enforce drug laws for marijuana in the same way as other drugs, as more states have legalized the drug.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Mar. 2026
In 2017, lawmakers passed a bill that legalized charter schools but did not provide a way to fund them.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Which Mayor Johnson had backed a corporate head tax, his opponents' budget relied on an increase in the city's plastic bag tax, overhauling the tax on off-premise liquor sales; legalizing video gambling terminals in Chicago, and opening up new advertising opportunities.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 Feb. 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 Mar. 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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