1
as in legitimate
permitted by law
the congressman's fund-raising efforts, though arguably unethical, were determined to be legal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moral
following or according to the rules
the referee declared it a legal play
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legal
The two were engaged in legal battles for years, but Giuffre finally settled, admitting that she might have been mistaken in identifying Dershowitz as an abuser.
—
Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Without an entry in the SEVIS database, international students cannot easily adjust or extend their legal status, meaning many of those whose records were terminated would likely soon be forced to leave the country.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
The Supreme Court recently banned race-conscious admissions, for example, and many colleges have moved to end race-specific scholarships after facing legal challenges.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
The showdown is the most significant legal challenge brought against Meta in the company's roughly 20-year history.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legal
Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Without an entry in the SEVIS database, international students cannot easily adjust or extend their legal status, meaning many of those whose records were terminated would likely soon be forced to leave the country.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
The Supreme Court recently banned race-conscious admissions, for example, and many colleges have moved to end race-specific scholarships after facing legal challenges.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
The showdown is the most significant legal challenge brought against Meta in the company's roughly 20-year history.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal
Adjective
-
Update your website's robots.txt file to explicitly allow access to legitimate AI crawlers like OpenAI's GPTBot and Google's AI systems, while still blocking problematic scrapers.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
Two of the best teams in the league, two legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, playing each other a month too early but playing each other nonetheless.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
Eighty years since the end of World War II, Amsterdam’s mayor apologized for the city’s role in the persecution of its Jewish residents during the Holocaust, in a rare acknowledgment of a collective moral failure by a city leader.—
Anupreeta Das,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Trump himself has suggested moral equivalence between the two sides, claiming Ukraine was at fault for provoking the war, that President Zelensky was illegitimate and that the U.S. should recognize Russia’s annexations of Ukrainian territory.—
Eric Green,
Time,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His relationship evolved from setting firm boundaries to setting ethical guardrails, offering context, and supporting his autonomy with curiosity and love.—
Rebekah Bastian,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Despite all of that, as the legislature enters the final weeks of its spring session, strengthening the state’s ethical safeguards doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the top of the agenda in Springfield.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The clean, bright walls along with colorful rugs and hardwood floors can seem impossible for people living in apartments.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2023
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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
-
If unchecked, this behavior threatens the fair administration of justice.—
Sonam Sheth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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Be clear about your strengths, whether that’s compelling insights, easy integration, fair pricing, no spam or timely delivery—and be aware of the trade-offs.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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