Synonym Chooser

How is the word legal different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of legal are lawful, legitimate, and licit. While all these words mean "being in accordance with law," legal applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts.

legal residents of the state

When can lawful be used instead of legal?

The meanings of lawful and legal largely overlap; however, lawful may apply to conformity with law of any sort (such as natural, divine, common, or canon).

the lawful sovereign

Where would legitimate be a reasonable alternative to legal?

In some situations, the words legitimate and legal are roughly equivalent. However, legitimate may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards.

a perfectly legitimate question about taxes

When would licit be a good substitute for legal?

The words licit and legal can be used in similar contexts, but licit applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law.

the licit use of drugs by doctors

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 A number of legal experts see Trump’s lawsuit as meritless, but the litigation comes as CBS-parent Paramount Global seeks Trump administration approval for its merger with Skydance. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 May 2025 JPMorgan reiterated its overweight rating on the online legal services stock, and raised its price target to $12 per share from $11. Brian Evans, CNBC, 19 May 2025 The move, while stated as temporary pending any further action by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, leaves around 350,000 Venezuelans without legal status, meaning they could be deported. Dan Gooding gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 The study was at respected universities, and legal. Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for legal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal
Adjective
  • Fraudsters will seek to distribute duty evaded goods as well as counterfeit alcoholic products into legitimate retail supply chains.
    Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Of course, there are legitimate questions about why Awoniyi was asked, or instructed, to return to the pitch.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Kehlmann exercises the same liberties as Doctorow, yet what holds his fictional whirlwind together is not sensation but an appalling portrait of Europe in a state of emotional and moral disintegration.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
  • Judges sometimes make decisions that are objectionable from a moral and legal standpoint.
    Michael Gregory, The Conversation, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ever-committed to ethical leadership, sustainable growth, and responsible business practices, Mr. Jitjanuruk imparts these goals on the next generation of financial leaders and the modern fintech industry.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • This aligns with industry guidance: Gartner researchers predict the rise of specialized AI governance platforms to manage each system’s legal, ethical and operational compliance.
    Ashutosh Synghal, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Think about it: the record companies forced them to be clean cut and preppy and all those things.
    Gary Gerard Hamilton, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Feb. 2023
  • At the end of the dredging, sediment that’s not placed on the beach could be left in the pit and covered with a layer of clean sand.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • However, transforming the creative economy into a genuine engine of job creation will require a proper policy framework—modern copyright laws, fair digital revenue-sharing, and robust intellectual property protections.
    Michael Sheldrick, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • Thank you all for your tremendous support and dedication in our fight to secure a fair contract!
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Legal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on legal

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