as in sanctioning
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalizing
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
Cronin and Watson said Tunney began advocating for legalizing medical cannabis in Idaho in 2022, a push that continued until her death in 2024.
—Clark Corbin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Apr. 2026
Yeah, so in 2018, the Supreme Court overturned this law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which basically prevented states from legalizing sports betting and kept it in Las Vegas.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Texas followed by legalizing hemp in 2019, allowing products that meet the THC threshold to be manufactured and sold.
—Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Defending the gambling expansion, Rouse has typically framed legalizing new gambling machines as an important source of income for small businesses.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Multiple states have argued that legalizing and regulating sports betting is under the jurisdiction of local regulators and outside the authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates event contracts and the prediction markets.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
Since legalizing online gambling in 2021, the state requires betting platforms to be licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
—Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 5 Mar. 2026
His issues page lists populist reforms like raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ ability to organize, and legalizing marijuana.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Cronin and Watson said Tunney began advocating for legalizing medical cannabis in Idaho in 2022, a push that continued until her death in 2024.
—Clark Corbin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Apr. 2026
Yeah, so in 2018, the Supreme Court overturned this law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which basically prevented states from legalizing sports betting and kept it in Las Vegas.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Texas followed by legalizing hemp in 2019, allowing products that meet the THC threshold to be manufactured and sold.
—Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Defending the gambling expansion, Rouse has typically framed legalizing new gambling machines as an important source of income for small businesses.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Multiple states have argued that legalizing and regulating sports betting is under the jurisdiction of local regulators and outside the authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates event contracts and the prediction markets.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
Since legalizing online gambling in 2021, the state requires betting platforms to be licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
—Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 5 Mar. 2026
His issues page lists populist reforms like raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ ability to organize, and legalizing marijuana.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizing
Verb
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The central and longest section presents the Guru’s grievances against Aurangzeb in the style of a Sufi pir (spiritual guide) addressing a deviant murid (disciple), indicting the emperor for violating the oath and sanctioning the murder of Gobind Singh’s sons.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
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The Nevada County public defender’s office and the nonprofit Civil Rights Corps asked the state appeals court to investigate the matter, and to consider sanctioning Wilson’s office for submitting the false citations.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the real goal for industry is Congress approving permitting reform, which has tried and failed multiple times in recent years.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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Our findings highlight how laws permitting clinicians to refuse to provide health care to LGBQ+ patients deepen existing health disparities.—
Nathaniel M. Tran,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Invite connection by allowing small gestures to nourish trust.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Right-hander Luis Garcia didn’t do his job either, allowing three runs in the top of the eighth before the Mets pulled him for left-hander Richard Lovelady.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rather than approving the funding, House Republicans moved forward with an alternate measure to fund the entirety of DHS on a temporary basis.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Oakland leaders have consistently bet on voters approving taxes.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shifting licensing dynamic hovers as Panini will reportedly re-open the doors for a possible sale of the company.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Off course-earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearances fees and memorabilia and licensing income over the past 12 months, plus cash returns from any business in which the athlete has a significant interest.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Administration officials have credited Section 702 with helping to rescue American hostages overseas, enabling the seizure of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China and even preventing a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Austria.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
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Jaylin Williams plowed through a screening Murray as Jokic drained a triple, enabling the Nuggets to tie it with a fortuitous 4-point play.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizing. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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