Synonyms of legitimacy

legitimacy

noun

li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē 

as in lawfulness

the quality or state of being legal

the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lawfulness
• legality
• rightfulness
• rightness
• permissibility
• permissibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• illegality
• illegitimacy
• unlawfulness
• wrongfulness
• immorality
• wickedness
• wrongness
• badness
• sinfulness
• criminality
• iniquity
• unconstitutionality
• unjustness
• iniquitousness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of legitimacy

Judges chosen by the post-2023 parliamentary majority do not recognize the legitimacy of some judges appointed under PiS, while PiS takes the opposite view. — ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

California's secretary of state and the Los Angeles County registrar are among officials who have opposed those demands, claiming the request could delay election officials' certification of results and undermine the legitimacy of the midterms. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Higher education experts have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the finding, questioning such statistical conclusions based on standardized test performance, The News & Observer previously reported. — Jane Winik Sartwell, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026

He’s been troubled to see more reputable venues conferring legitimacy on these commercial MRT operations. — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026