1
as in spurious
born to a father and mother who are not married
despite being illegitimate, Alexander Hamilton rose to greatness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
an illegitimate use of campaign contributions for personal expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unreasonable
not using or following good reasoning
made several illegitimate inferences
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 illegitimate
Her father also burdened her with looking after his illegitimate son Cy (Daryl McCormack), a wannabe GOP star who will spout any rhetoric to get ahead.
—
Esther Zuckerman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Dumas’ injunction states that any decisions made in meetings with Weatherington claiming the chair seat are illegitimate.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Putin asked, reiterating a common Russian argument that their country sees the Ukrainian leader as illegitimate.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
What the rest of the MacKenzies don’t know, however, is that Ellen, in the midst of her grief, has fallen head over heels for Brian, the illegitimate son of the despicable Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) and a member of a rival clan.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Esther Zuckerman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Dumas’ injunction states that any decisions made in meetings with Weatherington claiming the chair seat are illegitimate.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Putin asked, reiterating a common Russian argument that their country sees the Ukrainian leader as illegitimate.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
What the rest of the MacKenzies don’t know, however, is that Ellen, in the midst of her grief, has fallen head over heels for Brian, the illegitimate son of the despicable Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) and a member of a rival clan.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegitimate
Adjective
-
The report, as expected based on its authors, raised a large series of spurious doubts about climate science, which led to a massive critique of the report by other climate scientists.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The most negative and spurious viral videos are the ones that are leading to the most views for advertisers.—
John Brandon,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
That seems unreasonable given how weak this group has been.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
20 Oct. 2025
-
This decision places an unreasonable financial burden on agencies and managers who are already navigating a fragile market.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Colorado has made a variety of misbegotten acquisitions in recent years.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
It was directed by Pollack, Redford’s creative partner on seven films starting with This Property Is Condemned and stretching through 1990’s misbegotten Havana, a riff on Casablanca with Redford in the Bogart role.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The government’s lawyers argued the ruling effectively guts a statute aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing unlawful drug users from wielding firearms.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
He was arrested and booked into a juvenile detention center on suspicion of reckless driving, unlawful flight from a pursuing law enforcement vehicle, striking fixtures on a highway, excessive speeds, criminal trespass and other charges, the release said.—
Julie Mendes,
AZCentral.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Poetry brings hope, not an irrational optimism or wishful thinking, but a positive orientation to the future, of what a better, healthier future would look like.—
K.J.S. “Sunny” Anand,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Marks believes that investor optimism doesn’t automatically signal irrational exuberance.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump has made combating the opioid crisis, particularly the influx of illicit fentanyl, a central focus of his administration's policies.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Fox News exclusively embedded with the Austin Police Department as part of a nationwide human trafficking operation targeting illicit Chinese massage parlors.—
Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Let sound political prescience but take the place of an unreasoning prejudice, and this will be done.—
Frederick Douglass,
The Atlantic,
16 Aug. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Illegitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegitimate. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share