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
Part of the rationale to legalize sports gambling was that professional athletes make so much money that they wouldn’t be tempted by bribes.
—
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Voters rejected a state ballot proposal in 1998 to legalize the prescription of lethal medication to help terminally ill, competent, informed adults commit suicide in Michigan, with 71% voting against the initiative.
—CBS News, 28 May 2026
Oceanside initially legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and since then has gradually expanded its licensing program.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
California’s experience with 2021’s Senate Bill 9, which legalized duplexes on single-family lots, showed that cities responded by adopting additional design standards and minimum lot size requirements, making many projects financially or physically infeasible.
—Christina Mojica, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for legalize
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Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Voters rejected a state ballot proposal in 1998 to legalize the prescription of lethal medication to help terminally ill, competent, informed adults commit suicide in Michigan, with 71% voting against the initiative.
—CBS News, 28 May 2026
Oceanside initially legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and since then has gradually expanded its licensing program.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
California’s experience with 2021’s Senate Bill 9, which legalized duplexes on single-family lots, showed that cities responded by adopting additional design standards and minimum lot size requirements, making many projects financially or physically infeasible.
—Christina Mojica, Oc Register, 26 May 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 5 Jun. 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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