LEGALLY Synonyms: 16 Similar and Opposite Words

legally

adverb

ˈlē-gə-lē

Definition of legally

as in ethically

according to the rules or the law that's not a move that can be made legally in chess

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Example Sentences

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 legally Some had worked in the country legally and others had been undocumented. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026 While distillation can be done legally, Klein says that’s not what’s happening here. — Kate Rooney,paige Tortorelli, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 And Yiannopoulos, who entered the US legally on May 14, 2019, according to the DHS, has frequently called for aggressive immigration enforcement in posts on his X account over the past year. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 The Unbadged invited people to submit videos of personnel who used batons and tear gas against protestors without wearing a name badge, which police are legally required to wear. — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legally

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legally

Adverb

But outright bans or vague curbs afford no opportunities for students to better understand how to work ethically and effectively with AI.

— Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Ultimately, the central question is no longer whether social media is inherently good or bad but how public health systems can ethically leverage its massive reach to improve health outcomes globally.

— Thu T. Nguyen, Baltimore Sun, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of ethically

Adverb

The Commanders actually ran the ball fairly effectively in 2025, ranking fourth in the league in yards per game and fifth in yards per attempt.

— Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
That decision has been made more complicated by a fairly sturdy job market and a historically low employment rate.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of fairly

Adverb

He was tasked with holding the movie’s most complex, morally challenging ideas, as a young boy running from trauma and left to decide between danger and redemption.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
But one price for all, a concept conceived by the Quakers, who believed that charging different prices to different people was morally abject, became commonplace.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of morally

Adverb

The $800-million plan would replace two of the plant’s aging units with turbines that can run on a combination of natural gas and hydrogen, which, when produced cleanly, generates no planet-warming carbon dioxide.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
This is why strategy and execution cannot be separated cleanly into two phases.

— Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of cleanly

Adverb

Before things kicked off, a chant devoted to keeping the earth clean echoed at the beach.

— Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
That's especially proven in season 2, when — after coming clean to her team about holding Sir captive — Gabi's closest allies turn their backs on her.

— Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024