as in to enable
to make something real, accepted, or official
slang words legitimized by usage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimize
So there was a great deal of prejudice and many attempts to de-legitimize her intelligence.
—
Roberto Prieto, Variety, 26 May 2026
Being a member of a paramilitary group does not legitimize his murder, and soldiers and Ministry of Interior officers alike are now being killed in indiscriminate American and Israeli airstrikes.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 26 May 2026
Mass media genres are developed and legitimized to voice particular concerns and provide pleasures that align with audiences’ interests.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
That bull and another issued three years later, Romanus Pontifex, formed the basis of the Doctrine of Discovery, the theory that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of land in Africa and the Americas.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimize
Roberto Prieto, Variety, 26 May 2026
Being a member of a paramilitary group does not legitimize his murder, and soldiers and Ministry of Interior officers alike are now being killed in indiscriminate American and Israeli airstrikes.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 26 May 2026
Mass media genres are developed and legitimized to voice particular concerns and provide pleasures that align with audiences’ interests.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
That bull and another issued three years later, Romanus Pontifex, formed the basis of the Doctrine of Discovery, the theory that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of land in Africa and the Americas.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimize
Verb
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According to the firm, the dual-domain architecture enables the robot to interpret spoken instructions, understand its environment, generate action plans, and execute physical tasks with coordinated motion.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
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Originally designed to operate for just one year around Mars, MAVEN's mission was repeatedly extended, enabling the most extensive research into the workings of the Martian atmosphere ever attempted.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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When the town council earlier this month authorized Martin to make the request, Councilor Travis Simpson emphasized that the town needs to ensure the building materials are safe.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2026
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Kalshi detected Santos' trades, froze his account and referred the case to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Department of Justice, according to a person familiar with Kalshi's investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The process of counting mail ballots and validating voters’ signatures is also arduous, as each envelope signature must match the signatures on file, which can lead to additional delays as well.—
Emily Chang,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
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However, the market wants management to validate the story rather than leave it to analysts' models.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Verb
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They're entitled to be heard by a federal judge, not just an immigration judge.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
2 June 2026
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Gap, according to the Worker Rights Consortium, a Washington watchdog, originally backed The Willbes’ claims that the women, including unionists and pregnant workers, had chosen to be fired, voluntarily giving up critical benefits to which they were entitled.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The only path from bubble team to legitimate Stanley Cup contender requires making major upgrades at a faster rate than the stars’ decline.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
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American history either ignores or stereotypes Indigenous peoples for the purpose of legitimating the US.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Strongly supported by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the act also clarifies that organ donation qualifies under the Family and Medical Leave Act, giving donors protected employment status during recovery.—
Gabriel Schnickel,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
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This season’s finish qualified the club for the Europa League.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The opening salvo of the assault is intended to distract the Russians and permit four other robots to get behind enemy lines.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Basically, no matter how soap-y the show gets, Akerman permits the audience to buy into and sincerely enjoy the Hunting Wives ridiculousness.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legitimize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimize. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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