as in to permit
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legalize
It was transferred to PACs fighting a state ballot initiative to legalize marijuana.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
The kingdom has already stirred some backlash for hosting international female performers, but legalizing alcohol would be a more controversial leap.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
The controversy centers on the use of opioid settlement funds to finance an extensive advertising campaign against Amendment 3, a ballot measure aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 21 May 2025
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 and the ongoing three-year conflict, Kyiv took steps to legalize medical cannabis in December 2023 to help address the rising public health challenges caused by the war.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
The kingdom has already stirred some backlash for hosting international female performers, but legalizing alcohol would be a more controversial leap.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
The controversy centers on the use of opioid settlement funds to finance an extensive advertising campaign against Amendment 3, a ballot measure aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 21 May 2025
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 and the ongoing three-year conflict, Kyiv took steps to legalize medical cannabis in December 2023 to help address the rising public health challenges caused by the war.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalize
Verb
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His administration has accused the schools of allowing antisemitism and facilitating the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda by permitting the campus protests, which free-speech advocates say are protected by the First Amendment.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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Teams are permitted to have up to 35 players in their squad at the start of the tournament (and must have a minimum of 26).—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Verb
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In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mohamed’s Enterprise — one of Guyana’s largest gold firms — for allegedly bribing customs officials and failing to report exports.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
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In response to Iran's expanding missile program, the U.S. recently sanctioned multiple individuals and entities in both Iran and China involved in procuring missile propellant materials.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Considering that drivers would no longer need a windshield that prioritized seeing the road, windows could instead double as screens, allowing passengers to watch TV, work, play video games, or even communicate with passengers in nearby cars who’ve consented to connecting with others.—
HubSpot,
HubSpot,
12 June 2025
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The Workforce Development Partnership will allow ED and DOL to better coordinate and deliver on workforce development programs and strengthen federal support for our nation's workforce, a top priority of the Trump Administration.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
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The result will be a 20-year master plan to be approved later this year by the NICTD board of directors.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
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Can a bank trust AI to approve a mortgage, flag fraud, or run a forecast?—
Christer Holloman,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video WATCH Deep Fakes - Incognito Mode Email More... VIDEO URL https://www.wired.com/video/watch/deep-fakes-incognito-mode The live event has ended.—
Jules Roscoe,
Wired News,
4 June 2025
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Centralized registries could enable real-time tracking of donors.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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So great was the urgency to get the vaccine to kids that the FDA licensed it the same day.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
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If your long-term goal is to license your formula, attract investors or scale into mass retail, build your brand with those outcomes in mind.—
Alana Sandel,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Ryan Bos, who has been executive director of DC’s Capital Pride Alliance since 2011, was thrilled when the group’s bid to host WorldPride was accepted in 2022.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
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The two women had the criminal charges against them dropped at a court hearing last month, in which the prosecution accepted they had been duped and Emmanuel-Thomas changed his plea to guilty.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalize. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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