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
The proposal, called Amendment 3, would strike down the historic 2024 amendment that legalized access to the procedure. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026 While a 2015 ordinance legalized street vending in Chicago, strict public health codes effectively limited what vendors could do. — Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 Despite the controversies and indictments, the league still views legalized sports gambling, and now prediction markets, as its best option. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2026 The indictment, unsealed Thursday, alleges that Lucas and her relatives set up a business to sell marijuana before the substance was legalized for recreational sales in the commonwealth. — Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026 Uthmeier, in addition to being the governor’s right hand, chaired Keep Florida Clean, a political committee fighting to squash Amendment 3, which would have legalized marijuana. — Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 This is about protecting game integrity and consumers—just like legalized sports betting. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Since 2018, several states have legalized online sports betting. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026 North Carolina has not legalized either medical or recreational marijuana, but many of the edibles Hohns makes are more potent than what’s available in states that have. — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalized
  1. legal
  2. sanctioned
  3. legitimate
  4. permitted
  5. lawful
  6. licensed
  7. allowed
  8. approved
Adjective
  • Federal authorities on Monday charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents in California in a crackdown on people accused of illegally voting or registering to do so.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Florida law imposes limits on direct contributions to state candidates but generally allows political committees to accept unlimited contributions, subject to applicable reporting and other legal requirements.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of legal
Verb
  • The event is sanctioned by the WBC, and Mauricio Sulaimán, the organization’s president, is in Riyadh.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Different organizations endorse different balls Numerous racquetball organizations have sanctioned specific balls for their tournaments.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of sanctioned
Adjective
  • However, don't randomly disable legitimate Android system components because their technical names look strange.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes as of release day, Possible Love has reached a level of acclaim that places Jeon into legitimate Oscar contention — another first for her.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of legitimate
Verb
  • Ten days after López’s killing Honduran prosecutors charged Pérez and others of flouting environmental laws in the Los Pinares site from around 2013 to May 2021 by operating in areas beyond the limits of what had been permitted.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Health inspectors found goat cheese packaged in reduced oxygen packaging, which is not permitted.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of permitted
Adjective
  • Prosecutors charge that widespread noncitizen voting disenfranchises Americans by diluting their lawful votes.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • NorCal Resist alleges that on Tuesday morning Sacramento police officers conducted a traffic stop on lawful observers of ICE enforcement in south Sacramento, detaining them for 20 minutes.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of lawful
Verb
  • Politicians and advocates have spent the last decade pushing for more regulations, including a California bill signed into law last month that requires merchant cash advance companies to be licensed.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • It would be licensed by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
    — Susan Sarkauskas, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of licensed
Verb
  • That allowed the Dolphins to limit Maye’s ability to not just make off-schedule throws but really throw the ball downfield at a high clip during the first two quarters.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
  • On the fateful play, Moore appeared to turn his head, which is allowed.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of allowed
Verb
  • Missouri advocates are seeking to repeal a constitutional amendment voters approved two years ago, while Virginia opponents are working to keep a new amendment out of their state constitution.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • It was approved by voters into the county charter in 2004 in an effort to preserve the area’s rural character and prevent high-density sprawl from stretching toward the Brevard County line.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 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 3 Nov. 2026.

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