as in legal
permitted by law
the mistrust created among investors by the financial scandal has hurt even companies engaged in wholly legitimate business practices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to legitimize
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of legitimate
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
2 July 2026
Texas judge to weigh in on take over Alongside the farcical goods is legitimate InfoWars merchandise including hats, glasses, sweatshirts and more.
—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Herman and Chomsky took this a step further in their 1988 book Manufacturing Consent, arguing that the mainstream media was unwittingly complicit in a propaganda campaign to legitimate capitalism and U.S. imperialism overseas.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Adjective
Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.
—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
2 July 2026
Texas judge to weigh in on take over Alongside the farcical goods is legitimate InfoWars merchandise including hats, glasses, sweatshirts and more.
—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Verb
American history either ignores or stereotypes Indigenous peoples for the purpose of legitimating the US.
—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Herman and Chomsky took this a step further in their 1988 book Manufacturing Consent, arguing that the mainstream media was unwittingly complicit in a propaganda campaign to legitimate capitalism and U.S. imperialism overseas.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimate
Adjective
-
Months of legal jostling leading up to the hearing centered largely on media access.
-
Lawyers remained advocates for private clients, but Wilson increasingly described them as participants in preserving the legal order upon which republican government depended.
Verb
-
Yet this argument requires senators to actively affirm Blanche, which would legitimize his naked corruption of the law.
-
The biggest near-term catalyst for the cryptocurrency industry could be the CLARITY Act, which would lay out regulatory guidelines and help legitimize the crypto industry.
Adjective
-
Police are investigating the incident as a justifiable homicide, according to the release.
-
Detectives were investigating the incident as a justifiable homicide, police said.
Verb
-
These lands have been open for leasing for many decades and this decision validates decisions made in the past.
-
Recent upgrades include the Strategic Weapons Systems Ashore testing facility, which reached full operational capability in late 2024 to validate future upgrades to the Trident weapon system before fleet deployment.
Adjective
-
The ordinance includes exemptions for religious practices, medical needs, workplace safety, cultural activities and other lawful uses, according to city officials.
-
This allows officers to strip green-card holders’ lawful immigration status without the degree of proof required by federal law—and, perhaps, without any meaningful proof at all.
Verb
-
In 2023, the Ukrainian government sanctioned him for allegedly continuing to engage with Russia, paying taxes to Moscow and facilitating business transactions through his liquor business in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula which Russia annexed in 2014.
-
Judge John Weeks denied May’s request to sanction Daniel and to hold King’s bond insufficient for violating a condition that directs him not to contact witnesses.
Verb
-
For a queen mother to privilege her daughter/queen’s wishes above those of the son/king who abdicated in the night?
-
Conceived as an exercise in radical reduction, the movement reflects a design philosophy that privileges essential structure over accumulation.
Verb
-
Beginning Monday, the focus shifts to whether there is enough evidence for a trial and if the death penalty is warranted, said Paul Cassell, a University of Utah law professor and former federal judge.
-
But Claus also did not see anything on the field, at full speed, to warrant a card at all, let alone a red.
Cite this Entry
“Legitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
