LEGALLY Synonyms: 16 Similar and Opposite Words

legally

adverb

ˈlē-gə-lē

Definition of legally

as in ethically

according to the rules or the law that's not a move that can be made legally in chess

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 legally The majority ruled that the Fifth Amendment did not require bond hearings for three men who entered the United States unlawfully but were never legally admitted. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2026 Unwinding the administration’s investments would prove legally and politically difficult — but Democrats likely won’t want to, at least not right away. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Sguros was listed as the informant on West’s death certificate, and several months after the initial death investigation, was legally authorized to release West’s remains to a cremation service business. — Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 These policies are animated by a belief, prevalent among a faction of Republicans led by White House adviser Stephen Miller, that the problem with immigration isn’t whether people come to America legally, but what types of people come here. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legally

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legally

Adverb

The ethically messy experiment lasted less than a week, but the volunteer guards’ rapid tumble into cruelty and aggression has endured in our cultural imagination.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
My clients want to apply AI confidently and ethically in their work, not simply learn to prompt.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of ethically

Adverb

Set in modern-day Buffalo, Don’t Go Gentle follows Tanya Jenkins, a mother and Army medic who was honorably discharged.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026
Nash was honorably discharged from the Air Force in 2016 and worked as a contractor overseas, teaching pilots to fly F-15.

— Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of honorably

Adverb

The closures also disrupted Art Basel Paris, a major international art fair held at the Grand Palais.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
To convince officials that the art fair deserved a rent reduction, Art Basel chief executive Noah Horowitz reportedly gave a far less flattering picture of the company’s finances and the art market as a whole.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of fair

Adverb

This low-temperature, low-pressure hydrometallurgical method removes arsenic cleanly and operates without fossil fuels or poisonous gas emissions.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Patrick Bailey started the fifth with a chop that Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax was unable to cleanly field.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of cleanly

Adverb

Before things kicked off, a chant devoted to keeping the earth clean echoed at the beach.

— Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
That's especially proven in season 2, when — after coming clean to her team about holding Sir captive — Gabi's closest allies turn their backs on her.

— Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024