Definition of legalitynext
as in legitimacy
the quality or state of being legal the senator questioned the legality of the proposed surveillance operation

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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 legality Trump is butting up against the end of the 60-day legality window for Operation Epic Fury as laid out in the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2026 In the House, members were poised to vote on several contentious bills, including on the legality of warrantless surveillance and on funding the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down since mid-February. Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026 Moderator Julie Watts noted that California home insurance rates are below the national average and questioned the legality of a freeze. Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 However, Judge Cooper stopped short of ruling on the weightier questions of Beatty’s ability to vote during board meetings or the legality of the changes to the Kennedy Center. Steven Portnoy, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legality
legitimacy
Noun
  • Mohammadi’s place within that landscape is distinct due to her unique kind of legitimacy at a time when many Iranians are searching not only for opposition to the regime, but for a figure who embodies endurance under it.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • To give the works a veneer of legitimacy, the defendants fabricated detailed ownership histories, claiming the pieces had passed through private collections tied to the artists, or through galleries and corporate collections that no longer exist.
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Legality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legality. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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