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legitimate

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word legitimate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of legitimate are lawful, legal, and licit. While all these words mean "being in accordance with law," legitimate may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards.

a perfectly legitimate question about taxes

When is it sensible to use lawful instead of legitimate?

The synonyms lawful and legitimate are sometimes interchangeable, but lawful may apply to conformity with law of any sort (such as natural, divine, common, or canon).

the lawful sovereign

When can legal be used instead of legitimate?

While in some cases nearly identical to legitimate, legal applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts.

legal residents of the state

In what contexts can licit take the place of legitimate?

Although the words licit and legitimate have much in common, licit applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law.

the licit use of drugs by doctors

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of legitimate
Adjective
These systems operate invisibly in the background, letting legitimate customers breeze through while stopping fraudsters cold. Jitender Jain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The premise appears to be that only the President can decide whether someone’s legal rights are legitimate. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
Channeling their legacy of opposing power politics, internationalism and international organization would legitimate the American domination of power politics like no lone nationalism or limited alliance could. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 9 Feb. 2025 The stretch was supposed to tell us how close the over-performing Steelers could be to legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Mike Defabo, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimate
Adjective
  • The Supreme Court recently banned race-conscious admissions, for example, and many colleges have moved to end race-specific scholarships after facing legal challenges.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The showdown is the most significant legal challenge brought against Meta in the company's roughly 20-year history.
    Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Keeping all three in place would only turn off fans more and legitimize the critics who say ownership isn’t willing to make the tough decisions to put this team in the best position to win.
    William Guillory, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Parcells legitimized the franchise upon his arrival as a Super Bowl-winning coach in 1993 and took the Patriots to the playoffs in two of his four seasons.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Alongside demoralization runs justifiable caution; the act of protest itself has become more dangerous.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
  • He was told that no charges were filed and that it was deemed a justifiable homicide.
    Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Addressing this issue requires a fundamental shift in how training data is collected and validated. 2.
    Rahul Saluja, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Some shared their own experiences validating the usefulness of pre-wedding intel.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These refugees, most of whom are women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, fled an active war zone through a lawful program initiated by the U.S. government.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • In the government’s memo filed Thursday, Rubio cited an obscure provision in the law giving his office the power to deport noncitizens whose activities, even if lawful, could pose unfavorable foreign policy consequences.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This could be done by sanctioning the oil exported from the western-facing ports in Ust-Luga, Primorsk, on the Baltic Sea, as well as Novorossiysk on the Black Sea.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Nicholas Ferrone sanctioned their requests, according to the indictment.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Caution and brand protection suggest privileging continuity over a lucky seasonal earning.
    Matteo Atti, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • But how insensitive and privileged his response was.
    Melanie Curry, refinery29.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Strong winds are occurring but are not so strong as to warrant a High wind warning.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Ozturk's lawyers at the American Civil Liberties Union argue the arrest marked a clear violation of her free speech and due process rights under the U.S. Constitution that should warrant her immediate release.
    Nate Raymond, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Legitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimate. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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