as in legal
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as in sanctioned
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalized
Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
As of May 2026, 39 states have legalized sports betting.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Oceanside initially legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and since then has gradually expanded its licensing program.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
California’s experience with 2021’s Senate Bill 9, which legalized duplexes on single-family lots, showed that cities responded by adopting additional design standards and minimum lot size requirements, making many projects financially or physically infeasible.
—Christina Mojica, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
Minnesota has legalized marijuana.
—Esme Murphy, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Her decision comes five years after the state legalized marijuana possession.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2026
The problem of companies substituting hemp for marijuana dates to 2018, when Congress legalized hemp, a close cousin of marijuana that has only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound that makes people high.
—Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 15 May 2026
Marijuana itself has also not been legalized for medical use.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Verb
Despite a federal ruling in Wyoming that legalized corner crossing in six states, Montana’s stance remains unclear.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
As of May 2026, 39 states have legalized sports betting.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Oceanside initially legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and since then has gradually expanded its licensing program.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
California’s experience with 2021’s Senate Bill 9, which legalized duplexes on single-family lots, showed that cities responded by adopting additional design standards and minimum lot size requirements, making many projects financially or physically infeasible.
—Christina Mojica, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
Minnesota has legalized marijuana.
—Esme Murphy, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Her decision comes five years after the state legalized marijuana possession.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2026
The problem of companies substituting hemp for marijuana dates to 2018, when Congress legalized hemp, a close cousin of marijuana that has only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound that makes people high.
—Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 15 May 2026
Marijuana itself has also not been legalized for medical use.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalized
Adjective
-
By 1986, this legal jeopardy drove all but one vaccine manufacturer out of the market, with that last survivor poised to abandon vaccines in the US as well.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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In legal filings, Ohio Medicaid warned that recalculating the payments under the court's interpretation could cost about $285 million more per year than lawmakers originally intended, potentially approaching $1 billion over two budget cycles.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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His father, Bill Browder, was sanctioned by Russia in 2005 and has been involved in a decades-long battle with the Kremlin after helping to expose an alleged $230 million tax fraud scheme.—
Leigh Kiniry,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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The Associated Press counted some 78 fan fests sanctioned by the FIFA host city organizing committees.—
Anne M. Peterson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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The more teams that are legitimate playoff contenders each year in that conference, the better.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
The Australia-Singapore and EU-Singapore digital economy agreements restrict unjustified data localization requirements, while maintaining protections to address legitimate security concerns.—
Leonard Lim,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Detmers permitted only one hit over seven innings.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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But if an establishment’s old rectangular signs were small and discreet enough, as most gay bars’ were at the time, then they were permitted to survive the transition.—
Anton Hur,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the company must allow for any uses the Pentagon deemed lawful.—
Ben Finley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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Trump has predicted the justices will rule against his executive order directing federal agencies not to recognize the citizenship of babies born in the United States if neither parent is a citizen or lawful permanent resident.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The vessels are licensed, the ports regulated, and the supply chains audited.—
Nicole F. Roberts,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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When searching, the letter writer or the cousin should be sure to seek out an accredited service that requires all their nurses be licensed and certified.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Then, around 15,000 years ago, during a period of global cooling, the emergence of the Bering Land Bridge allowed elk to cross from eastern Siberia into westernmost Alaska, and eventually, into the rest of its historic North American range.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
However, public fossil collecting at the park is not allowed.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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If approved, the contract would go into effect July 1 and run through June 30, 2030.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
The location was later approved to continue regular service after a follow-up inspection.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalized. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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