as in sanctioning
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalizing
Separately, the administration swiped $35 million allocated to needy children and drug prevention to pay for efforts to kill that amendment and another legalizing marijuana.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
The majority of Montanans support legalizing corner crossing, highlighting the need for resolution.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Other advocates, including some from Chicago’s Northwest Side, have worried that broadly legalizing medium-sized developments could lead to existing affordable housing being transformed into more expensive units.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
Sports betting platforms are donating $10 million to support incumbents and candidates from both parties who support legalizing the industry in the state.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, legalizing hemp, Gordon found an additional path for the farm.
—William Deffaa, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
Lucas — a prominent backer of legalizing marijuana — has said the store sells legal hemp and CBD products.
—Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Brian Vicente, partner at Vicente LLP, is optimistic that this week’s rescheduling is an incremental movement toward de-scheduling and maybe even legalizing marijuana altogether.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
After a rash of abandonments led to infant deaths in the late 1990s, Texas became the first in the nation to pass a state law legalizing abandonment.
—Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
The majority of Montanans support legalizing corner crossing, highlighting the need for resolution.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Other advocates, including some from Chicago’s Northwest Side, have worried that broadly legalizing medium-sized developments could lead to existing affordable housing being transformed into more expensive units.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
Sports betting platforms are donating $10 million to support incumbents and candidates from both parties who support legalizing the industry in the state.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, legalizing hemp, Gordon found an additional path for the farm.
—William Deffaa, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
Lucas — a prominent backer of legalizing marijuana — has said the store sells legal hemp and CBD products.
—Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Brian Vicente, partner at Vicente LLP, is optimistic that this week’s rescheduling is an incremental movement toward de-scheduling and maybe even legalizing marijuana altogether.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
After a rash of abandonments led to infant deaths in the late 1990s, Texas became the first in the nation to pass a state law legalizing abandonment.
—Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizing
Verb
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The Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge on Wednesday to consider sanctioning federal prosecutors, after the Justice Department shared an unsigned and unstamped copy of a superseding indictment against the nonprofit with members of the media.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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The administration is also sanctioning Díaz-Canel’s wife and Cuba’s unofficial first lady, Lis Cuesta Peraza, and Díaz-Canel’s stepson, Manuel Anido Cuesta, as well as Castro Espín’s son, Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
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For the past five years, city leaders have approved annual emergency declarations permitting staff to maintain fire hazards in 10 defensible space zones along the riverbed.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
Eclipse watchers in Greenland should see just over two minutes of totality, while those in northern Spain may only see about 20 seconds — conditions permitting.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The relationship also gives Azerbaijan access to a critical diplomatic resource, according to Joshua Kucera, a senior analyst for the Crisis Group, allowing Baku to utilize Israel’s lobby in Washington, DC.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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Officials say a burial team was attacked in the province of South Kivu while trying to safely bury an Ebola victim, forcing workers to abandon the coffin and allowing community members to handle the body.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The Senate barely missed its midnight deadline that year before approving by a 60-34 vote legislation to reauthorize Section 702 that was subsequently signed by then-President Biden.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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The city is approving permits on a game-by-game basis, and Wednesday's came together hours before the game.—
Ali Bauman,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Perhaps licensing the traits and voices of those characters is the next logical step.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
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In other words, while the use of Bessette-Kennedy in marketing pitches is legally questionable, there’s a team overseeing and actively licensing the usage of Monroe’s image.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Su noted that solid-state batteries will play a central role in enabling the next generation of flying cars by delivering both the energy density required for longer flight ranges and the safety standards needed for commercial operations.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
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But many national security experts say the deal, while not perfect, succeeded in its main goals of halting Iran's march toward proliferation and enabling effective monitoring of Tehran's nuclear activities.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizing. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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