1
as in legitimate
permitted by law
the congressman's fund-raising efforts, though arguably unethical, were determined to be legal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moral
following or according to the rules
the referee declared it a legal play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 legal
University policies and book contracts may offer veils of legitimacy and shields from legal liability.
—
Emily Hodgson Anderson, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
The use of this legal tactic in Connecticut has exploded in recent years.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Lawyers for Sand Springs argued in filings that the plaintiffs don’t have legal standing.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
These words were intensely politically damaging to Biden, yet Hur did not worry that Biden lacked a legal forum to contest Hur’s assessment.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legal
Emily Hodgson Anderson, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
The use of this legal tactic in Connecticut has exploded in recent years.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Lawyers for Sand Springs argued in filings that the plaintiffs don’t have legal standing.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
These words were intensely politically damaging to Biden, yet Hur did not worry that Biden lacked a legal forum to contest Hur’s assessment.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal
Adjective
-
To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
-
That’s a legitimate concern, but aerobic fitness is an even better predictor of longevity and marker of general health.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That shift in language away from moral framing around food reflects something practitioners and researchers have long advocated for, and consumers are now arriving there on their own terms.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But many seemingly urbane texts also benefited from the intellectual and moral coarseness of their times.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Douglas said some providers fear losing positions or facing consequences for refusing to treat patients or perform actions that violate their ethical principles.—
Lucas Aulbach,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Both parties are vying for the ethical high ground before the November elections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Both heavily influenced Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law and the Build Back Better Act, centered on the economy and clean energy, though their powers were notably leveraged to the max under a 50-50 Democratic majority.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Fuel cells powered by hydrogen are widely seen as a clean alternative to fossil fuels, but their high cost has limited their use.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Thursday will be mostly sunny, with patches of fair weather clouds drifting through periodically.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
-
When major infrastructure projects are financed in ways that push most of the risk onto customers instead of shareholders, that’s not fair.—
Andre Johnson Jr,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
