legally

adverb

le·​gal·​ly ˈlē-gə-lē How to pronounce legally (audio)
Synonyms of legallynext
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
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.
Starting Tuesday, March 31, a new state rule will limit what stores can legally sell, meaning some products will disappear from shelves. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026 First, hold users, deployers, and developers legally accountable for harms caused by AI systems, treating them as the outputs of human decision-making rather than autonomous agents. Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 It is used legally to treat anemia associated with chronic kidney disease and typically is administered once every two to three weeks. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026 So, there's confusion as to whether complying with the Congressional mandate that children who are not legally in the United States get school meals would violate the condition for funding under new USDA rules. Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legally

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of legally was in 1581

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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