legalized 1 of 2

adjective

as in legal

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legalized

2 of 2

verb

past tense of legalize
as in sanctioned
to make (something) legal They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.

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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 legalized
Verb
The proposal, called Amendment 3, would strike down the historic 2024 amendment that legalized access to the procedure. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026 While a 2015 ordinance legalized street vending in Chicago, strict public health codes effectively limited what vendors could do. — Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 Despite the controversies and indictments, the league still views legalized sports gambling, and now prediction markets, as its best option. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2026 The indictment, unsealed Thursday, alleges that Lucas and her relatives set up a business to sell marijuana before the substance was legalized for recreational sales in the commonwealth. — Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026 Uthmeier, in addition to being the governor’s right hand, chaired Keep Florida Clean, a political committee fighting to squash Amendment 3, which would have legalized marijuana. — Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 This is about protecting game integrity and consumers—just like legalized sports betting. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Since 2018, several states have legalized online sports betting. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026 North Carolina has not legalized either medical or recreational marijuana, but many of the edibles Hohns makes are more potent than what’s available in states that have. — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalized
  1. legal
  2. sanctioned
  3. legitimate
  4. permitted
  5. lawful
  6. licensed
  7. allowed
  8. approved
Adjective
  • Federal authorities on Monday charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents in California in a crackdown on people accused of illegally voting or registering to do so.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Florida law imposes limits on direct contributions to state candidates but generally allows political committees to accept unlimited contributions, subject to applicable reporting and other legal requirements.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of legal
Verb
  • The event is sanctioned by the WBC, and Mauricio Sulaimán, the organization’s president, is in Riyadh.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Different organizations endorse different balls Numerous racquetball organizations have sanctioned specific balls for their tournaments.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of sanctioned
Adjective
  • However, don't randomly disable legitimate Android system components because their technical names look strange.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes as of release day, Possible Love has reached a level of acclaim that places Jeon into legitimate Oscar contention — another first for her.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of legitimate
Verb
  • Ten days after López’s killing Honduran prosecutors charged Pérez and others of flouting environmental laws in the Los Pinares site from around 2013 to May 2021 by operating in areas beyond the limits of what had been permitted.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Health inspectors found goat cheese packaged in reduced oxygen packaging, which is not permitted.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of permitted
Adjective
  • California officials have countered that the list is unverified and includes the names of lawful voters, despite recent charges announced by DOJ of roughly 28 individuals from the list accused of voting and immigration-related crimes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • For now, courts have blocked the most consequential provisions of both orders, primarily on the ground that the President has no lawful authority to impose them.
    — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of lawful
Verb
  • In June, Robinhood launched Rothera, an exchange that's licensed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and managed through the brokerage's joint venture with Susquehanna International Group.
    — Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Winston said he is currently licensed to practice architecture but doesn’t practice day to day.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of licensed
Verb
  • In new measures, the army said most Palestinian workers with permits will not be allowed to enter Israeli West Bank settlements on Sunday and Monday, and crossings into Israel will remain closed until after Israel's elections on Tuesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers, one of the lower-scoring teams in the league, get to face a team that is almost last in points allowed this season.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of allowed
Verb
  • Missouri advocates are seeking to repeal a constitutional amendment voters approved two years ago, while Virginia opponents are working to keep a new amendment out of their state constitution.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • It was approved by voters into the county charter in 2004 in an effort to preserve the area’s rural character and prevent high-density sprawl from stretching toward the Brevard County line.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of approved

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Cite this Entry

“Legalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalized. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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