1
: in a legal manner : in accordance with the law
a transfer that was not done legally
a drug that can now be legally bought and sold in many countries
2
: from the point of view of law
Legally, she had no claim to the estate.
They were not legally obligated to provide assistance.
a person who is legally blind [=who is blind according to the legal definition of blindness]
legally drunk [=drunk according to the legal definition of drunkenness]
Examples of legally in a Sentence
that's not a move that can be made legally in chess
Recent Examples on the Web
The administration was left scrambling to contain the bipartisan fallout both from the shooting itself, and from claims from top officials that Pretti had somehow invited his own death by legally carrying a firearm.
—
Michael Williams, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Japan also has a legally binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, a goal that is difficult to meet without nuclear energy.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
But to enforce that claim, Duke had to awkwardly sue a student who sought to transfer, which is a matter of enrollment and by itself can’t be legally blocked.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was legally carrying a handgun under Minnesota law when he was shot by federal agents, according to local authorities.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legally
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Michael Williams, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Japan also has a legally binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, a goal that is difficult to meet without nuclear energy.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
But to enforce that claim, Duke had to awkwardly sue a student who sought to transfer, which is a matter of enrollment and by itself can’t be legally blocked.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was legally carrying a handgun under Minnesota law when he was shot by federal agents, according to local authorities.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legally
Cite this Entry
“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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