legal tender

noun

Definition of legal tendernext
as in cash
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment coins and bills are considered legal tender, but postage stamps are not

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 tender There are also four bills from the 2025 legislative session that become law on Wednesday, including one to designate gold and silver as legal tender. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 25 June 2026 In 1926, the nation’s 150th anniversary, then-President Calvin Coolidge appeared on a commemorative half-dollar coin that was official legal tender. — Bill Barrow, Fortune, 29 May 2026 As the world’s first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, El Salvador has positioned itself as a hub for crypto-curious travelers, with digital wallets operating alongside its low-density tourism. — Angelika Pokovba, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2026 The mislabeling of President Andrew Jackson’s portrait is just one of the telltale signs signifying that some bills getting passed around in Greater Boston are movie props and not legal tender. — Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legal tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal tender
  1. cash
  2. money
  3. coin
  4. currency
  5. bucks
Noun
  • Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • About one in three home sales in the Bay Area were all cash from April through June, Redfin found.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of cash
Noun
  • Commissioners say that the ruling will actually save consumers money in the long run, and that the more efficient tires are better for the environment.
    — Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If the patient is dosed less than what’s on the label, drugmakers generally get less money.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of money
Noun
  • Apple AirTags are a favorite among flight attendants and frequent fliers because the coin-sized trackers can be slipped into luggage without sacrificing packing space.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The much harder question is what happens to coins whose owners fail to migrate them in time.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of coin
Noun
  • The Japanese government's push for pension funds and individuals to invest more in domestic markets is seen as a potential boost for the nation's bonds and currency in the long term.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The currency, meanwhile, has fallen more than 10% from its prewar level, adding to the economic pressure on Iranians.
    — Magdalena Del Valle, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of currency
Noun
  • Cory says soon six more bucks emerged from the cover, plus one doe, all about 100 yards away from the father and son in their elevated stand.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Shares are down fractionally this morning but entered today within a few bucks of their all-time high.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bucks

Browse Nearby Words

legally
legal tender
legate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legal tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal%20tender. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on legal tender

Nglish: Translation of legal tender for Spanish Speakers

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