as in permits
to make (something) legal
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
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Recent Examples of legalizes
In December, the Chicago City Council passed a provision in the 2026 budget that legalizes licensing of unregulated video gambling terminals within the city limits.
—
Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
This is in reference to Assembly Bill 720, a new California law which for the first time, legalizes tastings and wine sales at California vineyards.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026
The measure also legalizes possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis concentrates by adults, as well as cannabis edibles containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
First, my plan legalizes the ability for any group to purchase insurance collectively and operate across state lines.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Both medical and recreational use are legal in Colorado, and New Mexico passed a law this year that legalizes certain medical uses.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
This is in reference to Assembly Bill 720, a new California law which for the first time, legalizes tastings and wine sales at California vineyards.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026
The measure also legalizes possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis concentrates by adults, as well as cannabis edibles containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana.
—A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
First, my plan legalizes the ability for any group to purchase insurance collectively and operate across state lines.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Both medical and recreational use are legal in Colorado, and New Mexico passed a law this year that legalizes certain medical uses.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizes
Verb
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Residency permits, even for those with long-term Golden Visas, are reportedly being revoked without notice.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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That policy was rescinded by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons last year, although the agency still permits its personnel to take military service into consideration.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The tax credit program allows qualifying counties to vote on capping annual property tax increases for residents.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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In simple terms, the system allows the aircraft to maneuver using airflow rather than mechanical parts.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ellary Tucker Williams, legislative and community engagement coordinator for the Department of Fish and Game, also testified and said the Fish and Game Commission, which approves rules and regulations for the agency, supported the bill.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
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If the state approves these changes, New York City will be able to speed up too — our administration will ensure that rezoning applications can begin public review in six months or less.—
Leila Bozorg,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For starters the World Cup is run by the same organization, FIFA, which sanctions virtually every level of soccer globally, from the men’s and women’s World Cups, to confederation competitions including the UEFA Championships and the Copa América, to most major age-group tournaments.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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An autocratic government that sanctions violence.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The idea is that if a firm is trying to certify an event contract that simply enables speculation — without otherwise serving the public interest — regulators will step in.—
Kelli María Korducki,
thehustle.co,
3 Apr. 2026
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The technology also enables digital evaluation, allowing results to be stored, analyzed, or shared instantly.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The South Korean startup competes not only with Nvidia but also with a growing list of other startups from Cerebras to Groq — a company that Nvidia licenses technology from.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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Now Schoolhouse licenses franchises to create rings, necklaces, patches, and other accessories.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The facility currently only accepts trash from municipalities, not individual residents.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
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For those who are not able to give instruments, the conservatory accepts monetary donations to its instrument repair fund.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The final draft of Bahrain's resolution, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, authorizes the use of defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The final draft of the proposal, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, authorizes defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizes. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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