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
-
Of the 40,992 permits his office has audited so far, about 4,707, or just over 11%, were canceled for invalid claims.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
-
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Baptist Health also operates its own virtual health platform for urgent care, the Baptist Health PineApp, which allows patients to see a doctor from anywhere, with no appointment needed.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
-
Kruse said county ownership allows the well to be shut down as soon as work at Piney Point is complete.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
To build such a loop, treat the first AI draft as a starting point, and require a second pass where AI challenges itself before a human approves anything.—
Robert Burko,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
However, utilities must submit experimental data proving safety before the NRC approves these operational changes.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 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
-
Bringing production geographically nearer to headquarters enables speedier time to market, closer collaboration and less chance for transportation disruptions.—
SJ Studio,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
-
Technology enables scale, but human-to-human connection drives outcomes.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The office also licenses notaries.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
For the teen company, Pantochino licenses existing musical theater shows rather than writing new ones.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Percy accepts this and leaves Barry’s Bay the next day, returning home to Seattle.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
10 June 2026
-
The program accepts digital coupons and offers cash back rewards.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
While Congress reauthorizes the legal framework that allows for the collection of the communications, a secretive court known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court authorizes the government to conduct the surveillance programs under certain parameters for up to a year.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
The bill specifically authorizes financial damages, because under current law, plaintiffs can only obtain injunctions that prevent future or ongoing violations, the summary said.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizes. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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