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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to legitimize
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimate
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2026
International observers from the Carter Center and the Colombian Electoral Observation Mission found the results to be legitimate.
—Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
The only domestic organ that could have legitimated the strike is Congress, but it wasn’t even given the chance.
—Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Adjective
That’s denying Kelce a legitimate chance at actually playing the game, or even enjoying being in the castle, since she’s immediately isolated from the Faithful and other Traitors alike.
—Verb
Now, the political and operational initiative — with the right to legitimate defense — is held by the party that both knows how to play it smart and avoids indiscriminate fire.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimate
Adjective
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This type of political spending is legal under California law.—
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No legal responsibility was ever assigned to Woroniecki in connection with the Yates children's deaths.—
Verb
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Based on a true story, Sweeney transformed her body to play Christy Martin, who helped legitimize women’s boxing.—
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Now the junta that ousted her seeks to hold sham polls in December to entrench and legitimize their rule.—
Adjective
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The number of killings investigated last year fell to 67, with 57 of those categorized as murders — excluding cases such as justifiable homicides — a total not seen since 1967, according to data compiled by this news organization.—
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The joke isn’t on the protagonists for feeling justifiable feelings.—
Verb
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The nonprofits check providers’ enrollment with their licensed capacity, review thousands of monthly attendance sheets, validate signatures and verifications of employment and eligibility and compare providers’ rate sheets to invoices, among other things, McDougal said.—
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Your love life feels serious, intentional and deeply validating when both of you show up fully.—
Adjective
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The rule would require in-person renewals with proof of lawful status such as a passport or an I-94/95A form.—
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Our residents were given accurate information, meaningful opportunities to engage, and a lawful referendum.—
Verb
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The United States is attempting to maintain an oil embargo in Venezuela and has sanctioned the country’s oil industry.—
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The Marinera was a ship previously flagged out of Panama and was sanctioned for its prior involvement in Iranian oil trading by the Treasury Department in 2024 under former President Joe Biden, according to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.—
Verb
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Yet a new generation of fans now marvels at Bonds’s achievements, and even older fans seem willing to privilege the memories of his otherworldly feats over those of his glaring flaws.—
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Restoring coherence and professionalism to the country’s relationship management is therefore essential, as is privileging long-term national interests over short-term ideological concerns.—
Verb
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Strong winds are occurring but are not so strong as to warrant a High wind warning.—
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The quality of the crude and the bad state of infrastructure there do not warrant an intervention.—
Cite this Entry
“Legitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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