as in to permit
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalize
More than a decade ago, Colorado led the movement to legalize marijuana.
—
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
The industry has struggled to adapt since voters agreed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, due to overproduction and plummeting prices.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The measure passed with 57% of the vote, and California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize the drug.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 Sep. 2025
This is legalized economic sabotage by another name.
—Andrew King, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
The industry has struggled to adapt since voters agreed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, due to overproduction and plummeting prices.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2025
The measure passed with 57% of the vote, and California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize the drug.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 Sep. 2025
This is legalized economic sabotage by another name.
—Andrew King, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalize
Verb
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Such dreams of prosperity are only permitted for so long.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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If required, an individual-sized soft-sided cooler will be permitted.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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William is totally bewildered and frustrated that it’s being sanctioned.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
28 Sep. 2025
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Defense attorneys for the man accused of killing his Miami Hurricanes football star teammate in 2006 want prosecutors sanctioned — or the murder case dismissed — after a key witness, who state prosecutors believed was dead, was found alive by an ESPN reporter.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Senate late on Tuesday rejected in a 55-45 vote a 7-week stopgap funding measure supported by Republicans that would have allowed the government to continue operations.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
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According to authorities Gibson allowed his large dogs to roam freely in the neighborhood and a neighbor’s ring camera caught footage moments after the alleged atatck.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Tesla’s board just recommended that shareholders approve a trillion-dollar pay package to incentivize Musk to focus on Tesla.—
Senior Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Electronic Arts' Board of Directors has approved the acquisition, which is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Promotion enabled Villa to access greater funds in the top flight, backed by owners Nassef Sawiris and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens, who took full control the year Villa won promotion.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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The maps of those three little museums have been superimposed on each other, enabling visitors to enter the three ghost spaces simultaneously, crossing layer after layer of cultural history, with the various walls and plans collapsing into one another.—
Joanna Warsza,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, music giants Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group are nearing a deal to let AI companies license the studios’ songs to train their models, the Financial Times reported.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Specifically, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will license fusion projects under the limited scope of its existing byproduct materials framework.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Tennessee Department of Education provided a list of more than 200 schools accepting scholarship students for the 2025-26 school year.—
Rachel Wegner,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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The planning commission accepted the recommendation, with a small modification related to how medical clinics are defined in the Land Development Code.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalize. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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