legitimately
adverb
le·git·i·mate·ly
li-ˈji-tə-mət-lē 
: in a legitimate manner : according to what is lawful, permitted, appropriate, or reasonable
money earned legitimately [=legally]
a question that can be legitimately asked
… objects of ritual significance that were common tribal property seldom if ever could have come legitimately into nontribal hands.—
Robert McC. Adams
Robert McC. AdamsThe other kind of steroids are the potent inflammation fighters widely and legitimately used to treat dozens of illnesses.—Paul G. Donohue
Paul G. Donohue… several objections to their book can legitimately be raised.—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt
Christopher Lehmann-HauptExamples of legitimately in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The ones that legitimately worked.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 26 Nov. 2025
In this belief system, how can women legitimately compete fairly?
—Soraya Chemaly, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
When the conversation shifted to health care for undocumented immigrants, specifically people entering through legal crossings and legitimately proceeding through the asylum or residency process, candidates again split along ideological lines.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Those last awful moments of anagnorisis, as Manville and Strong expertly time their performances to the diminishing seconds, are legitimately stomach-turning.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
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Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 26 Nov. 2025
In this belief system, how can women legitimately compete fairly?
—Soraya Chemaly, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
When the conversation shifted to health care for undocumented immigrants, specifically people entering through legal crossings and legitimately proceeding through the asylum or residency process, candidates again split along ideological lines.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Those last awful moments of anagnorisis, as Manville and Strong expertly time their performances to the diminishing seconds, are legitimately stomach-turning.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimately
Cite this Entry
“Legitimately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimately. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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