as in permits
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalizes
This day in sports history 1944 — NFL legalizes coaching from bench.
—
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
In December, the Chicago City Council passed a provision in the 2026 budget that legalizes licensing of unregulated video gambling terminals within the city limits.
—Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
This is in reference to Assembly Bill 720, a new California law which for the first time, legalizes tastings and wine sales at California vineyards.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026
The measure also legalizes possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis concentrates by adults, as well as cannabis edibles containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
First, my plan legalizes the ability for any group to purchase insurance collectively and operate across state lines.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Both medical and recreational use are legal in Colorado, and New Mexico passed a law this year that legalizes certain medical uses.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
In December, the Chicago City Council passed a provision in the 2026 budget that legalizes licensing of unregulated video gambling terminals within the city limits.
—Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
This is in reference to Assembly Bill 720, a new California law which for the first time, legalizes tastings and wine sales at California vineyards.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026
The measure also legalizes possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis concentrates by adults, as well as cannabis edibles containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
First, my plan legalizes the ability for any group to purchase insurance collectively and operate across state lines.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Both medical and recreational use are legal in Colorado, and New Mexico passed a law this year that legalizes certain medical uses.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizes
Verb
-
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
-
Current law permits officers who receive waivers to continue working until age 60, despite the standard mandatory retirement age of 57 or after 20 years of service, whichever comes later.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
For instance, as my soft secondaries and the receivers who’ll benefit most from them in fantasy football article detailed, this system grades a defensive back who allows a low yards per attempt (YPA) total but a high PPR fantasy points per game (FPPG) total as a favorable matchup.—
KC Joyner,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Going for a slightly longer take on a bob that hits below the chin (and perhaps even grazes toward your shoulders) allows all the polish and charm of a bob, while letting natural texture give a breezy, airy look that requires minimal work.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Conversion rates climb in North America, engagement improves, and leadership approves expansion into additional markets and languages.—
Georg Ell,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
House approves bill to fund DHS Senators adopted a resolution by unanimous consent on Thursday to withhold their own pay during government shutdowns.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
For starters the World Cup is run by the same organization, FIFA, which sanctions virtually every level of soccer globally, from the men’s and women’s World Cups, to confederation competitions including the UEFA Championships and the Copa América, to most major age-group tournaments.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
An autocratic government that sanctions violence.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What Programmable Cities Actually Require Singapore demonstrates that adaptive urban systems work when governance enables them.—
Chase Garbarino,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Electric propulsion also enables Blitz to have a low acoustic as well as infra-red signature, delaying detection.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
If the launch needs to be postponed, a planning advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, suggests another opportunity is available May 20.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, still retains a minority stake in the American version of TikTok, which licenses its algorithm from ByteDance.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The press release confirms BetHog accepts 10 cryptocurrencies.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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The moment is met with enthusiastic cheers and applause from the audience, as Sadie calmly accepts her gift and walks off the graduation stage with Muse.—
Yi-Jin Yu,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Democrats plan to keep forcing weekly votes on war powers resolutions and are looking ahead to put limitations on Trump during the debate over annual legislation that authorizes and funds the military.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
But that law only authorizes tariffs in response to large and persistent balance-of-payments deficits.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizes. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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