LEGITIMIZE Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

legitimize

verb

Definition of legitimize

as in to enable

to make something real, accepted, or official slang words legitimized by usage

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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 legitimize On paper, Daphne and Eddie’s relationship was brief and lacked the connective tissue (DNA, legal documents) that might otherwise legitimize it. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 The Peruvian system has a solid institutional foundation that was legitimized over time and is supported by the Peruvian public. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Those issues persist, even as the field has tried to further professionalize and legitimize itself. — Lauren Chan, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026 Arizona's recognition of the bolo legitimized the piece as more than a nontraditional tie. — Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legitimize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimize

Verb

The technology enables virtual characters to perform live alongside human presenters and audiences, with potential applications across studios, live events and social media.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
My leadership is much more about providing a very clear direction and making sure that there’s a high degree of autonomy for people to feel empowered and enabled to do so.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of enable

Verb

The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and a Western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
In Texas, Waymo had 1,154 autonomous vehicles authorized for commercial use as of Friday, including 359 of its new Ojai models, which feature a low step and doors that slide open and shut.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of authorize

Verb

The mercurial aspect of the ego wants so much to be validated, respected and understood for a pursuit.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Much of that work involves collecting, annotating, and validating the data used to train machines to operate in the physical world.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of validate

Verb

The department argued that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 entitled it to the unredacted records.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
If the housekeeper rejects the reduced award, the judge said, Brown will be entitled to a new trial limited to damages.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of entitle

Verb

And the fact that Pochettino’s contract is so close to expiring was only going to add to this type of rumor mill — and to legitimate interest and recruitment.

— Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 29 May 2026
For schools, one bill would limit the use of student biometric data to legitimate instructional purposes, while another would prohibit teachers from using AI to assign grades on student work.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026

Definition of legitimate

Verb

According to a 2020 Department of Defense study, a staggering 77% of young Americans do not qualify for military service due to health concerns.

— Stanley McChrystal, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026
That could make the payout more meaningful for someone who bought multiple qualifying iPhones during the class period.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of qualify

Verb

Supply constraints, regulations, the immigration crackdown, permitting issues and many other practical realities have prevented all those goods and labor supplies from coming into balance with the extreme demand.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Both packaging and online product detail pages are permitted to provide an outbound link to a dedicated webpage on the manufacturer’s website to display the full list of ingredients.

— Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of permit

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“Legitimize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimize. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of legitimize

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