1
as in legitimate
permitted by law
the congressman's fund-raising efforts, though arguably unethical, were determined to be legal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moral
following or according to the rules
the referee declared it a legal play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of legal
My goal is to give our readers the news and explain how the legal framing of the First Amendment comes into play.
—
Cate Charron, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
Although shoppers sometimes mistake this as a surcharge, under state law it is considered a legal discount.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
Shakur, whose legal name is Joanne Deborah Byron, was convicted in 1977 of killing a state trooper in a shootout on the New Jersey turnpike four years prior.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of people looking to emigrate to the United States sit inside the facility’s walls in limbo, waiting for a legal process that often stretches on for weeks, months or even years.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legal
Cate Charron, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
Although shoppers sometimes mistake this as a surcharge, under state law it is considered a legal discount.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
Shakur, whose legal name is Joanne Deborah Byron, was convicted in 1977 of killing a state trooper in a shootout on the New Jersey turnpike four years prior.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of people looking to emigrate to the United States sit inside the facility’s walls in limbo, waiting for a legal process that often stretches on for weeks, months or even years.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal
Adjective
-
Sometimes what looks like a surcharge may actually be a legitimate processing fee or a convenience fee tied to an online system.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The optical sensor can record tens of thousands of frames per second at megapixel resolution, enabling faster identification of legitimate nuclear signatures and reducing false positives.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But turning lethal combat into a competition creates moral challenges on an entirely new scale, and solving them does not seem high on Ukraine’s present list of priorities.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The fact that rights-defenders and their admirers understood the dissident movement as reviving the moral and intellectual habits of the Old Regime intelligentsia tells us much about the latter’s enduring appeal.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the lack of clear evidence and ethical concerns about bringing a case without clear probable cause, Halligan sought an indictment from the grand jury, sources said.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Expected on October 15 is an internal policy at MUBI, to be shared publicly, on guidelines to ethical investments.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Violet Affleck, the 19-year-old daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, took the stage at the United Nations this week, calling for urgent action on clean air, pandemic protections, and broader social justice issues.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Think of it as a once-in-a-while deep clean—a wash day treat for your hair health.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
To be fair, there is a decades-long history of TV and movies being rescheduled in light of harrowing news events — especially mass shootings — so is the political climate just too hot for The Savant, which depicts explosive violence?—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
-
For example, the Rotarians support Interact, music competitions, a four-way speech competition and a holiday craft fair at Valley Elementary.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share