1
as in spurious
born to a father and mother who are not married
despite being illegitimate, Alexander Hamilton rose to greatness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
an illegitimate use of campaign contributions for personal expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unreasonable
not using or following good reasoning
made several illegitimate inferences
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illegitimate
Jaylen Brown viewed his third-quarter foul as the turning point of Friday’s Celtics-Cavaliers game — and an illegitimate one, at that.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 Mar. 2025
At least until the 11th century, some priests had wives and children who were not considered illegitimate.
—Joelle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Those allegations saw Trump echo criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for all but four of the past 25 years via elections widely considered illegitimate but has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Zelenskyy’s continuing leadership.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025
Russia's Putin, meanwhile, has remained in power for decades through deepening crackdowns on free expression and increasingly illegitimate elections, according to international experts.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 Mar. 2025
At least until the 11th century, some priests had wives and children who were not considered illegitimate.
—Joelle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Those allegations saw Trump echo criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for all but four of the past 25 years via elections widely considered illegitimate but has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Zelenskyy’s continuing leadership.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025
Russia's Putin, meanwhile, has remained in power for decades through deepening crackdowns on free expression and increasingly illegitimate elections, according to international experts.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegitimate
Adjective
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On Sunday night, Americans were treated to a variety of spurious allegations promulgated by several former State Department employees who have made a vocation of insisting that no one will listen to them.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
13 Jan. 2025
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Donald Trump, who practically built his entire 2024 presidential campaign on the spurious grievance that Joe Biden has weaponized the Justice Department against him and his allies, is weaponizing his own Justice Department against his enemies and in service of his friends.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
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During the pause, the state will evaluate if reinstating the law would create an unreasonable risk to staff and inmate safety.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
11 Mar. 2025
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Along with the financial risks, many new business owners face personal challenges stemming from self-doubt, working in isolation, lack of work-life balance and unreasonable expectations.—
Veranda Adkins,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the literal sense, that world is the misbegotten land of South Africa, but such are the power and truth of Mr. Fugard’s writing that his best plays transcend even the political tragedy of his native country.—
Carmel Dagan,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2025
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Clooney called out President George W. Bush for the misbegotten war, and he was called a traitor for being against it.—
Thea Traff,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Legal experts say the moves are likely unlawful, workers complain they were sloppily handled, and the whole process runs the risk of doing long-term damage to critical workings of the federal government.—
Emily Peck,
Axios,
12 Mar. 2025
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Duterte's former legal counsel Salvador Panelo said the arrest was unlawful, and said the police did not allow one of his lawyers to meet Duterte at the airport.—
Karen Lema,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Many voters said Governor Whitmer’s order, which restricted an outdoor activity – gardening – seemed irrational and excessive, even at the time.—
Jacob Turcotte,
The Christian Science Monitor,
11 Mar. 2025
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But the widening gap between its real-world performance and analysts’ earnings estimates for unborn products has prompted some to warn of irrational exuberance.—
Chris Kirkham,
USA TODAY,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Bark app monitors the network of school district computers and scans for illicit content being downloaded or shared, the charging document reads.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA TODAY,
14 Mar. 2025
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However, during intake, BOP staff confiscate and discard all medications, citing efforts to prevent the introduction of illicit drugs.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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His adopted daughter, Sandra Correia Lopes, 12, weighs just 12 kilograms, or 26 pounds, and falls sick frequently.—
Sui-Lee Wee,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
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As an unofficial adviser to the Chinese government and a scientific ambassador between his birth country and his adopted home, Lee was instrumental in a wide range of education and exchange programs in China.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
5 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Illegitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegitimate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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