LEGALIZING Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

legalizing

verb

present participle of legalize

as in sanctioning

to make (something) legal They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.

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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 legalizing The day after Markey’s death, the Illinois law legalizing MAID took effect. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 The British Parliament has voted against legalizing assisted suicide services for adults, successfully blocking a bill that was filibustered out of time before the April recess. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2026 Bass proposed legalizing vacation rentals in her budget this year, though the proposal was removed from the budget by the City Council. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Its Supreme Court has rejected draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews and overturned a law legalizing settler homes built on private Palestinian land. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Last year, the mayor’s office commissioned a report from Christiansen Capitol Advisors LLC on the potential fiscal impacts of legalizing VGT gambling in Chicago. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Two states will vote on ballot measures legalizing marijuana in the November midterms. — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Virginia rightfully rejected legalizing online casinos this past spring, recognizing the threat of putting a 24/7 slot machine within arm’s reach of every state resident. — Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026 Whether rescheduling, legalizing or restricting marijuana rises in importance remains to be seen. — Bob Woods, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizing

Verb

Rodríguez rose through the governments of Hugo Chávez and Maduro and became one of the most influential officials in the political system that Washington spent years sanctioning and seeking to isolate.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
The new position is likely to be welcomed by many Labor voters and lawmakers, who have urged the government to go further in sanctioning Israel and supporting the Palestinians.

— Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of sanctioning

Verb

But after recording saves in his first two Marlins appearances, Fairbanks had three bad outings in a stretch of seven appearances in May, permitting three runs in an inning or less in each of those three games.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
Orioles right-hander Brandon Young allowed one run in five innings despite issuing five walks and permitting five hits.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of permitting

Verb

Connected information can help close that gap by allowing organizations to identify patterns and engage customers before an issue becomes a larger business problem.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Many airlines now integrate Air Tag data into their baggage tracking process, allowing travelers to share the device location with customer service representatives through their mobile apps.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of allowing

Verb

Descano’s side went along with his insanity defense after approving a mental health evaluation by psychologist Eric Drogin, court records show.

— Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
Sacramento International Airport parking is getting more expensive, with the Board of Supervisors unanimously approving a one-time rate hike of up to $7 per day that takes effect when the new 5,537-space garage opens in November.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of approving

Verb

But with name, image and likeness licensing money and the transfer portal part of the new reality of college sports, the difference between college and the NFL has never been smaller.

— Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
However, OpenAI does have licensing deals with other news publishers.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of licensing

Verb

Their super-thin structure changes how electrons behave, potentially enabling new capabilities in future semiconductor devices.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
In 2021, a settlement was reached enabling the early release of the 3,500 inmates.

— Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of enabling

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legalizes

legalizing

legally

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“Legalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizing. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of legalizing

verb

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