as in to outlaw
to make or declare contrary to the law
a bill that would illegalize the private use of fireworks
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Recent Examples of illegalize
Basis for the suit to illegalize the union, lawyers explained, is the difference in race between the participants.
—
sandiegouniontribune.com,
28 Feb. 2018
Rather than negotiating a political agreement, Madrid decided to illegalize Basque political parties allegedly linked with terrorism and to prosecute their leaders.
—
Sergi Pardos-Prado,
Washington Post,
28 Oct. 2017
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, a bill focused on illegalizing any conversion therapy that charges money, was filed in the U.S. Senate in April.
—
Joseph Frankel,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2017
sandiegouniontribune.com,
28 Feb. 2018
Rather than negotiating a political agreement, Madrid decided to illegalize Basque political parties allegedly linked with terrorism and to prosecute their leaders.
—
Sergi Pardos-Prado,
Washington Post,
28 Oct. 2017
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, a bill focused on illegalizing any conversion therapy that charges money, was filed in the U.S. Senate in April.
—
Joseph Frankel,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegalize
Verb
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There’s currently no federal law prohibiting speculative ticketing, though some states such as Maryland and Oregon have outlawed the practice.
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The government outlawed the group after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in June 2025 to protest British military support for Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Verb
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Earlier this month, residents of Monterey Park voted overwhelmingly to ban data centers, making the San Gabriel Valley city the first in the nation to do so by public vote.
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In April, the UK’s home office banned the rapper from entering the country.
Cite this Entry
“Illegalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegalize. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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