Synonym Chooser

How is the word licit different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of licit are lawful, legal, and legitimate. While all these words mean "being in accordance with law," licit applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law.

the licit use of drugs by doctors

When is it sensible to use lawful instead of licit?

The words lawful and licit can be used in similar contexts, but lawful may apply to conformity with law of any sort (such as natural, divine, common, or canon).

the lawful sovereign

In what contexts can legal take the place of licit?

While in some cases nearly identical to licit, legal applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts.

legal residents of the state

Where would legitimate be a reasonable alternative to licit?

Although the words legitimate and licit have much in common, legitimate may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards.

a perfectly legitimate question about taxes

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 licit Saulnier’s script suggests his thorough research into the fine points of police procedure, licit and illicit, and likewise into the intricacies of judicial authority and hand-to-hand combat (including minutiae about firearms and ammunition). Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 In Guerrero, more than 65% live in poverty, and around 40 criminal groups operate in different licit and illicit activities, according to the International Crisis Group. Karol Suárez, The Courier-Journal, 25 Apr. 2024 Farmers upstate were growing fields of licit marijuana! Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 In trying to please its senior ranks, the army has allowed officers to benefit from criminal enterprises—the army helps preside over Myanmar’s licit and illicit economies. Avinash Paliwal, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2024 But animals’ taste for human goods — licit and illicit — can also bring trouble for them and for us. Emily Anthes, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023 The only morally licit treatment of an ectopic pregnancy, for a Catholic, besides watch and wait, is the salpingectomy, on the basis that the demise of the pregnancy is an indirect effect of acting to preserve the mother’s life. Joanna Petrone, Longreads, 18 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licit
Adjective
  • On the other hand, there’s a legitimate anger about the state of the world that needs to be addressed.
    Marta Balaga, Variety, 8 June 2025
  • Put another way: The more legitimate business opportunities available for athletes, the better.
    Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • The confrontation is the latest flashpoint in a growing legal and political battle over the Trump Administration’s immigration policies.
    Nik Popli, Time, 13 June 2025
  • While the need is great, legal access for all can be attainable through pro bono partnerships between private attorneys and legal professionals and legal aid organizations, like Community Legal Services, which also employ their own staff attorneys and legal professionals.
    Jeffrey D. Harvey, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • On March 8, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and pro-Palestinian protester who graduated in December from Columbia University.
    Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • Two foreign nationals, including one with lawful permanent residency in the United States, have been indicted by a Wisconsin grand jury for attempting to smuggle U.S. military technology to China, including encrypted communications gear.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Licit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licit. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on licit

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