legally

adverb

le·​gal·​ly ˈlē-gə-lē How to pronounce legally (audio)
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.
However, the debate is political and the opinion is not legally binding. Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025 The pastor’s arrest is the one of the latest in the Trump administration’s barrage of immigration cases, targeting not only undocumented migrants but also people living in the United States legally on student visas and green cards. Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 July 2025 Pressure ramps up In early April, the White House presented Columbia with terms for a consent decree, a legally binding performance improvement plan that typically involves a court order and would leave Columbia under federal oversight for years to come. New York Times, 25 July 2025 However, a driver is not legally obligated to submit to a field sobriety test, pre-arrest test or cheek swab at a DUI checkpoint, according to the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside. Field sobriety tests are subjective and may not accurately measure sobriety, according to Bee archives. Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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