Examples of legitimacy in a Sentence
the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations
Recent Examples on the Web
The president has repeatedly attacked federal judges and Supreme Court justices who have ruled against his policies, at times singling out individual jurists by name and questioning their motives or legitimacy.
—
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
There is only one path that aligns legitimacy with capability.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Appellate court judges reversed the most serious charge against him, finding that a superior court judge failed to hold a hearing to establish the scientific legitimacy of Shotspotter gunfire detectors.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2026
Reforms often required strong executive power, largely at the expense of social stability and democratic legitimacy; protests against the IMF’s programs left scores dead as authorities repressed dissent.
—Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
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Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
There is only one path that aligns legitimacy with capability.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Appellate court judges reversed the most serious charge against him, finding that a superior court judge failed to hold a hearing to establish the scientific legitimacy of Shotspotter gunfire detectors.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2026
Reforms often required strong executive power, largely at the expense of social stability and democratic legitimacy; protests against the IMF’s programs left scores dead as authorities repressed dissent.
—Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Cite this Entry
“Legitimacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimacy. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legitimacy
noun
le·git·i·ma·cy
li-ˈjit-ə-mə-sē 
: the quality or state of being legitimate
Legal Definition
legitimacy
noun
le·git·i·ma·cy
li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē
: the quality or state of being legitimate
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