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
Its application would mark a significant defeat for tech companies in their decadeslong battle to avoid being wielded as government tools against their users, the people said, speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss legally and politically sensitive issues.
—
Joseph Menn The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2025
Losing your bet with the wrong person could cost you more than bragging rights
While many Americans are expected to bet legally, scammers are also expected to cash in on Super Bowl wagers.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
Border Patrol immigration checkpoints legally operate with judicial authority.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for legally 
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.
Joseph Menn The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2025
Losing your bet with the wrong person could cost you more than bragging rights
While many Americans are expected to bet legally, scammers are also expected to cash in on Super Bowl wagers.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
Border Patrol immigration checkpoints legally operate with judicial authority.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for legally
Dictionary Entries Near legally
Cite this Entry
“Legally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legally. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share