How to Use legitimately in a Sentence

legitimately

adverb
  • These stupid fake sounds and stupid fake shifts are legitimately fun.
    — Steven Ewing, Ars Technica, 21 Nov. 2023
  • Now, that said, people may have legitimately just not thought the movie was good.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
  • These cars are so over-the-top, but still legitimately good-looking.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Cargill kicked out and seemed legitimately woozy.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • But this is the first time Sanders has legitimately been linked to an opening.
    — Vincent Frank, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • And now these two are, legitimately, two of my favorite people of all time.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2024
  • Emotions will of course run high, and the on-field action should be legitimately great.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
  • But who can legitimately argue with the depth in our region?
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
  • These are legitimately drawn in the natural flow of the game.
    — Brian Sampson, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
  • This is legitimately a big fight.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The food is legitimately good now.
    — Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Mar. 2026
  • This is legitimately my favorite scene in the whole season.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
  • So how can tennis legitimately claim to be the healthiest sport on earth?
    — Sean Gregory, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024
  • Queen’s best album and their only one that legitimately belongs on best-of lists.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
  • First, both sides legitimately threatened to score to break the 1-1 tie in the second half.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • Bands, given to all ticket holders with seats at the gate, are never legitimately for sale.
    — Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 Jan. 2023
  • Even though there was some absurd stuff on the show, people did legitimately do things that were outrageous back then.
    — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Pugh – with her electric hair and septum piercing – knows that protesting for progress is legitimately punk.
    — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Some fans seemed legitimately swayed by Gunther’s words.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
  • The choice of song may be legitimately be considered torture, for the victim and for the viewer.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Add that to the mix, and San Jose’s top six does look legitimately dangerous.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Both a parody of action films and a legitimately great action film on its own terms, this is one of the best genre hybrids of the aughts.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 May 2026
  • The number of shows that can do those things and also be legitimately endearing for parents?
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 23 July 2025
  • The number of shows that can do those things and also be legitimately endearing for parents?
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 23 July 2025
  • All four coaches are legitimately shocked to turn around and find a teenage kid on stage, but Gwen Stefani most of all.
    — Maggie Fremont, EW.com, 8 Oct. 2024
  • The ones that legitimately worked.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 26 Nov. 2025
  • His skill level, offensive hockey sense and puck play are all legitimately elite.
    — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 3 June 2026
  • His skill level, offensive hockey sense and puck play are all legitimately elite.
    — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 4 May 2026
  • The key to moving forward may involve getting clear about what’s legitimately your story to tell.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2024
  • The result was a big victory, a fun game to watch and a legitimately encouraging one for this club.
    — Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legitimately.' 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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