as in lawfulness
the quality or state of being legal
the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimacy
Originally, putting her name on the business wasn’t her idea, Fahnlander said, but others convinced her the name lent legitimacy.
—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
19 June 2026
The hardliners have emerged with their hands on the levers of power and battlefield command, and their supporters now flood Iran’s streets with daily rallies celebrating a newfound legitimacy forged through surviving the US-Israeli assault.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
These criticisms broadly fall into a few camps, some with more scientific legitimacy than others.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
Instead of viewing menopause as a slow unraveling, researchers increasingly describe it as a period of adaptation — one that deserves support, attention and medical legitimacy.
—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
19 June 2026
The hardliners have emerged with their hands on the levers of power and battlefield command, and their supporters now flood Iran’s streets with daily rallies celebrating a newfound legitimacy forged through surviving the US-Israeli assault.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
These criticisms broadly fall into a few camps, some with more scientific legitimacy than others.
—
Mack Degeurin,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
Instead of viewing menopause as a slow unraveling, researchers increasingly describe it as a period of adaptation — one that deserves support, attention and medical legitimacy.
—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimacy
Noun
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That decision found a lower court judge who had sided with Khalil and freed him from a Louisiana lockup lacked the legal authority to weigh in on the lawfulness of the detention.
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The ruling follows a legal challenge by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) over the lawfulness of a December 2022 parliament vote.
Noun
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Reclassification governs compounding legality, not FDA drug approval.
-
Before council could approve it, questions about legality and enforcement flooded the chambers.
Cite this Entry
“Legitimacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimacy. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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