1
: in a legal manner : in accordance with the law
a transfer that was not done legally
a drug that can now be legally bought and sold in many countries
2
: from the point of view of law
Legally, she had no claim to the estate.
They were not legally obligated to provide assistance.
a person who is legally blind [=who is blind according to the legal definition of blindness]
legally drunk [=drunk according to the legal definition of drunkenness]
Examples of legally in a Sentence
that's not a move that can be made legally in chess
Recent Examples on the Web
But legally speaking, for a passport, for any government activities, that’s not their name.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Social-media companies are usually protected by a portion of the 1996 Communications Decency Act known as Section 230, which guarantees that online platforms are not considered legally responsible for what their users post or see.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Golden visas – also called residency by investment schemes – essentially grant foreigners the ability to legally live, work, and study in another country when investing a significant amount in the local economy.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
At the time Tesla submitted its voucher requests, the vehicle didn’t appear to have the necessary certifications and approvals to be sold and legally driven on California roads.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legally
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Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Social-media companies are usually protected by a portion of the 1996 Communications Decency Act known as Section 230, which guarantees that online platforms are not considered legally responsible for what their users post or see.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Golden visas – also called residency by investment schemes – essentially grant foreigners the ability to legally live, work, and study in another country when investing a significant amount in the local economy.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
At the time Tesla submitted its voucher requests, the vehicle didn’t appear to have the necessary certifications and approvals to be sold and legally driven on California roads.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legally
Cite this Entry
“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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