legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz 
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
Examples of legalize in a Sentence
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
The government has legalized the use of the new drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
Last year, the City Council considered three possible new sources of revenue: increasing its sales tax by 1 percent, legalizing and taxing cannabis sales, or raising the transient occupancy tax, often called TOT, paid by hotel guests.
—
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
California’s current laws effectively legalize the trafficking of minors.
—Fraidy Reiss, The Mercury News, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for legalize 
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
California’s current laws effectively legalize the trafficking of minors.
—Fraidy Reiss, The Mercury News, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for legalize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
wanted to legalize gambling in their city
Legal Definition
legalize
transitive verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization
noun
legalizer
noun
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