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.
While the average person focuses on paying taxes, the rich focus on legally minimizing them. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Which prosecutors and judges were toughest in trying to hold Trump legally accountable? Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025 In the weeks leading up to McMahon's confirmation, the White House considered issuing an executive order directing the education secretary to downsize the agency as much as legally possible while urging Congress to dissolve it entirely. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025 Proximate cause is a foundational legal concept, which refers to when someone can legally be held responsible for causing another person to be injured. Ian Millhiser, Vox, 4 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 2025.

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