as in lawfulness
the quality or state of being legal
the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimacy
In the process, Moscow provided Tehran with the technical foundation to jumpstart its atomic advances – and a veneer of legitimacy for its persistent will to nuclear power.
—
Ilan Berman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the legitimacy of the first two notes that have been deemed possibly authentic — or a series of separate emails believed to be unrelated claiming to have knowledge about what happened to Guthrie.
—
Michael Ruiz , Matt Finn,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
Of course, the internet being the internet, there is a loud contingent that doubts Lefty’s legitimacy.
—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
Venezuela has endured more than a decade of economic turmoil, and many continue to reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodríguez represents.
—
Abigail Williams,
NBC news,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Ilan Berman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the legitimacy of the first two notes that have been deemed possibly authentic — or a series of separate emails believed to be unrelated claiming to have knowledge about what happened to Guthrie.
—
Michael Ruiz , Matt Finn,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
Of course, the internet being the internet, there is a loud contingent that doubts Lefty’s legitimacy.
—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
Venezuela has endured more than a decade of economic turmoil, and many continue to reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodríguez represents.
—
Abigail Williams,
NBC news,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimacy
Noun
-
That decision found a lower court judge who had sided with Khalil and freed him from a Louisiana lockup lacked the legal authority to weigh in on the lawfulness of the detention.
-
The ruling follows a legal challenge by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) over the lawfulness of a December 2022 parliament vote.
Noun
-
The Observer previously covered the legality of various fireworks.
-
The state's effort is reigniting attention around the legality of lemonade stands.
Cite this Entry
“Legitimacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimacy. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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