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 Enriquez argues that the decision to locate facilities in such remote areas—limiting access to family, legal support, and community resources—is no accident. Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 2025 His legal troubles began after a December 2022 Tennessee traffic stop in which police pulled him over for speeding. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025 Administration officials accuse the agency and its former leadership of exceeding their legal powers, burdening free enterprise and engaging in politicized enforcement of consumer laws. Douglas Gillison, USA Today, 25 June 2025 Several legal challenges to this practice are now pending in federal courts. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for legal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal
Adjective
  • On iOS, attackers deliver the malware through fake software frameworks or enterprise provisioning profiles, often disguised as legitimate components.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
  • Mike Brown has become a legitimate candidate for the job and has had a second interview with the team, but there are still a lot of questions left to be answered.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • That temptation, rich in moral confusion, runs through Leonardland, onscreen as on the page.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • The only real protection from moral injury… is moral courage.
    Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Invest in educator training that moves beyond basic tool familiarity to pedagogical integration and ethical considerations.
    Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Such governance will likely include public data trusts, ethical review boards, and inclusive policy-making processes—all of which emphasize collective rather than individualistic solutions.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • To be fair, PSG has made many a team look bad, some in this competition (the 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid in its tournament opener) and in others (its 5-0 trouncing of Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final last month.).
    Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • However, human rights activists claim the men were Kurdish day-laborers with no access to classified information and were denied fair trials.
    Sahar Zand, ABC News, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Legal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on legal

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