legalese

noun

le·​gal·​ese ˌlē-gə-ˈlēz How to pronounce legalese (audio) -ˈlēs How to pronounce legalese (audio)
Synonyms of legalese
: the specialized language of the legal profession
… replaced legalese with plain talk …—Steve Weinberg

Examples of legalese in a Sentence

I was confused by the legalese in the contract.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
To use words in ways that are unexpected or surprising, to repurpose some of the legalese that has been weaponized against my characters. — Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 Lawyers and Uber are also battling over legalese about who would be responsible for paying medical bills after a crash. — Levi Sumagaysay, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026 To be clear, some of the legalese will take time to iron out, because Mercury will go retrograde on February 26. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026 The brief's latter pages present the government's argument for court action in traditional legalese. — Arden Farhi, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legalese

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legalese was in 1911

Rhymes for legalese

See All Rhymes for legalese

Browse Nearby Words

legal eagle
legalese
legal estoppel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legalese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalese. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Legal Definition

legalese

noun
le·​gal·​ese ˌlē-gə-ˈlēz, -ˈlēs How to pronounce legalese (audio)
: the specialized language of the legal profession

More from Merriam-Webster on legalese

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for legalese

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