legally

adverb

le·​gal·​ly ˈlē-gə-lē How to pronounce legally (audio)
1
: in a legal manner : in accordance with the law
a transfer that was not done legally
a drug that can now be legally bought and sold in many countries
2
: from the point of view of law
Legally, she had no claim to the estate.
They were not legally obligated to provide assistance.
a person who is legally blind [=who is blind according to the legal definition of blindness]
legally drunk [=drunk according to the legal definition of drunkenness]

Examples of legally in a Sentence

that's not a move that can be made legally in chess
Recent Examples on the Web The collective is legally barred from disclosing how much Spotify royalties declined since March but cited a Billboard story that estimated the loss would amount to about $150 million next year. Robert Burnson, TIME, 17 May 2024 Music copyright is a notoriously complicated web that has given way to several types of licenses needed for companies such as streaming services or film studios to use music legally. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2024 But decades ago, Congress made clear, through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, that her daughter is legally entitled to that support. Cory Turner, NPR, 15 May 2024 Several restaurants were scrutinized and legally challenged this year for their use of surcharges, including Jon and Vinny’s and Found Oyster. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024 Advertisement Across Maui, more than 12,000 housing units legally operate as short-term rentals, and officials estimate an additional 10,000 do so illegally, according to the governor. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024 Companies can’t legally tell customers if their accounts were closed because of a suspicious activity report. Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024 The exes will be declared legally single on Dec. 2, since California law requires a waiting period of six months or more. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024 Follow more of our reporting on Reality Check Capitol Alert California oversight agency asks: Why is insurance commissioner absent from hearings? April 26, 2024 12:26 PM Local How long can landlords legally take to make repairs? Joe Rubin, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legally.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of legally was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near legally

Cite this Entry

“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 20 May. 2024.

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