as in sanctioning
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalizing
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
In a time of great financial instability and uncertainty for our city, legalizing unregulated video gambling terminals will only worsen our problems.
—Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Which Mayor Johnson had backed a corporate head tax, his opponents' budget relied on an increase in the city's plastic bag tax, overhauling the tax on off-premise liquor sales; legalizing video gambling terminals in Chicago, and opening up new advertising opportunities.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
The association, which represents casinos, including Monarch Casino in Black Hawk, conducted the poll after learning that gambling companies were interested in legalizing internet gambling — known as iGaming — in Colorado, a state in which online sports betting is popular.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in Hawaii say a regulated market for adults will improve consumer safety, create new economic opportunities and reduce crime.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Abe newly interpreted Article 9 as legalizing collective defense.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
It’s been a long wait for sports fans in the state, with many of the surrounding states legalizing betting apps years ago.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
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
In a time of great financial instability and uncertainty for our city, legalizing unregulated video gambling terminals will only worsen our problems.
—Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Which Mayor Johnson had backed a corporate head tax, his opponents' budget relied on an increase in the city's plastic bag tax, overhauling the tax on off-premise liquor sales; legalizing video gambling terminals in Chicago, and opening up new advertising opportunities.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
The association, which represents casinos, including Monarch Casino in Black Hawk, conducted the poll after learning that gambling companies were interested in legalizing internet gambling — known as iGaming — in Colorado, a state in which online sports betting is popular.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in Hawaii say a regulated market for adults will improve consumer safety, create new economic opportunities and reduce crime.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Abe newly interpreted Article 9 as legalizing collective defense.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
It’s been a long wait for sports fans in the state, with many of the surrounding states legalizing betting apps years ago.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizing
Verb
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That’s not to say that good intentions place Ellis’ order above appellate scrutiny, although in my opinion, her sole (but significant) misstep was failing to give her orders teeth by sanctioning government lawyers and holding DHS agents in contempt of court.—
Seth Stern,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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The Justice Department told a federal appeals court that judges who blocked executive orders sanctioning several law firms had infringed on the president’s authority.—
Mark Berman,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nearby cities including Vacaville, Woodland, Sacramento, Dixon and West Sacramento offer more developable land and often faster permitting processes, the report states.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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In design, engineering, pre-construction, and manufacturing, there are specs, there are permitting codes, there are ordinances, and there’s disconnect between the disciplines, so the context is incredibly complicated.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But his brain-imaging studies suggest that, during a psychedelic trip, communication between different regions of the brain becomes far less constrained than during normal consciousness, allowing new ways of thinking to emerge.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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The program focuses on opening its hardware interfaces to third-party tool and component manufacturers, allowing different tools to be easily connected and used within a plug-and-play industrial ecosystem.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday, the City Council is scheduled to take the key step of cementing city ownership by approving payouts to the county and some other local agencies — school districts, community college districts and health districts — that have a financial interest in Liberty Station.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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My hostess stands in the middle of her guests and offers me the slightest of nods, the quick upward pull of an approving smile.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The report goes on to say that following the arrest of Salas and several of his associates on charges of racketeering and insurance-licensing fraud, warrants were issued to search their electronics.—
Anna McAllister,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
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The company’s greater value proposition was looking forward, as AllHere was to manage, moderate and continue to develop Ed — and partner with LAUSD in marketing and licensing the product to other school systems.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By enabling machines to create and verify their own records at the point of operation, the technology offers a new method for ensuring the reliability and accountability of autonomous systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Historically, the mismatch was addressed through education, which improved with each generation, enabling workers to work with new innovation.—
Allison Schrager,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizing. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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