legalized 1 of 2

adjective

as in legal

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legalized

2 of 2

verb

past tense of legalize
as in sanctioned
to make (something) legal They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.

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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 legalized
Verb
Yet many of these reforms merely legalized developments that had already taken place at the grassroots level. — Rainer Zitelmann, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The Joliet and Aurora boats were among the first to hit the water after Illinois legalized riverboat gambling 36 years ago. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 The bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp (usually grown for sturdy fibers or food rather than as an intoxicant) to give farmers a new cash crop. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The government has legalized past settlements under Israeli law and approved new ones in areas that are supposed to be under Palestinian civil control. — Greg Dixon, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026 Canada legalized medical aid in dying (MAID) outright in 2016. — Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026 Forty-one states have legalized medical marijuana, and 24 states have legalized recreational use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 In 1965, birth control was legalized, but only for married couples. — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026 More states have legalized recreational marijuana, making the drug more widely available. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalized
  1. legal
  2. sanctioned
  3. legitimate
  4. permitted
  5. lawful
  6. licensed
  7. allowed
  8. approved
Adjective
  • Investigators were able to trace the gun to a legal purchase in Keene, New Hampshire, made by one of the straw purchasers of the scheme, according to the detention memo.
    — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Features like autoplay, infinite scroll and algorithmic content recommendations have been the prime targets of legal arguments that social media platforms are designed to be addictive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of legal
Verb
  • But what of developers who cannot verify themselves, such as those in countries sanctioned by the US Government?
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In February 2024, Levi became one of the first hardline settlers targeted by US executive sanctions under the Biden administration and was subsequently sanctioned by the UK, Canada and the European Union.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sanctioned
Adjective
  • The Ukrainian government has said the facilities are legitimate military targets because the company supplies Russia’s frontline troops.
    — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But perhaps no option is as intriguing as Trice, a legitimate wildcard who’s played roughly 50 preseason snaps and nothing else in his professional career.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of legitimate
Verb
  • Red Sox starter Sonny Gray (14-3) permitted two runs and six hits in six innings.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In a world where women aren’t generally allowed to be angry, there’s a freedom in spaces where female anger is permitted, encouraged, and embraced.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of permitted
Adjective
  • But the process is not seamless, and the sudden loss of authorizations often leaves the once lawful immigrant in limbo.
    — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The court must now decide whether agents acted within their lawful authority.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of lawful
Verb
  • New hospices would rent a room, get licensed and then move elsewhere, according to ACHC.
    — Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Robinhood's Rothera rollout Robinhood launched Rothera in June, an exchange that's licensed with the CFTC and managed through the brokerage's joint venture with Susquehanna International Group.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of licensed
Verb
  • In Overgrown Flower Beds Flower beds that are allowed to get wild, aren’t weeded regularly, and aren’t covered with mulch are at risk of poison ivy intrusion as well.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Detroit starter Troy Melton allowed an unearned run on four hits and a walk over six-plus innings, striking out five.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of allowed
Verb
  • Many of these proposals require constitutional amendments approved by two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states.
    — Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Mayor Ross McMullin and the Keller City Council unanimously approved a resolution early Thursday morning in opposition to an upcoming data center proposed for a site in Westlake near the Keller border.
    — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of approved

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Cite this Entry

“Legalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalized. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of legalized for Spanish Speakers

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