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
Moscow has been at pains to incorrectly suggest Ukraine’s imminent joining of NATO was behind its unprovoked attack in 2022, and that Zelensky is illegitimate as Ukraine has not undertaken the immense challenge of running elections in wartime.
—
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
Meszaros is widely regarded by Hungarians as the purse of Orban: someone who is not a real owner but who simply manages the illegitimate wealth of his boss.
—BÁlint Madlovics, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2025
Moscow has long sought to discredit the Ukrainian government by claiming that Zelensky is an illegitimate president, although martial law prohibits elections during wartime for safety reasons.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The coins are marked with faces of nine Roman emperors who reigned during the fourth and fifth centuries—including Eugenius, an illegitimate usurper who ruled the Western Roman Empire for just two years.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
Meszaros is widely regarded by Hungarians as the purse of Orban: someone who is not a real owner but who simply manages the illegitimate wealth of his boss.
—BÁlint Madlovics, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2025
Moscow has long sought to discredit the Ukrainian government by claiming that Zelensky is an illegitimate president, although martial law prohibits elections during wartime for safety reasons.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The coins are marked with faces of nine Roman emperors who reigned during the fourth and fifth centuries—including Eugenius, an illegitimate usurper who ruled the Western Roman Empire for just two years.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illegitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegitimate
Adjective
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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
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In May 2024, Cairo joined South Africa in its spurious legal case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of war crimes—without any evidence.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 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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But the comparison of the former Pac-12 to the new Pac-12 isn’t unreasonable, either.—
Jon Wilner,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
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Reasons to hire Gen Z include their focus on balance and staying grounded—which have the benefit of reducing burnout or unreasonable expectations.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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One of those items is a very real-looking papier-mâché pigeon poking out from a hole in the wall of that misbegotten closet.—
Wendy Goodman,
Curbed,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Their actions have sparked numerous lawsuits, and on Thursday, a federal judge in California found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful.—
Kristin Brown,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2025
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Alsup’s order is a temporary measure that requires OPM to notify agencies that its directive was unlawful.—
Ashley Oliver,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Friedrich Nietzsche's idea of rationality, Apollonian, and the irrational passion, defined as Dionysian, have always been a sort of philosophical guide for Murano; his way of conceiving fashion.—
Alberto Calabrese,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2025
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There’s a philosophical view, best associated with the scholar L. A. Paul, that the decision to have children is fundamentally irrational.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And Elliston Berry, who became a victim of an illicit deep fake image produced by a peer.—
TIME Staff,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
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According to a 2024 press release from America's Poison Centers, calls to poison centers for illicit fentanyl exposure in children under the age of 6 increased from 10 cases in 2016 to 539 in 2023.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
5 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 13 Mar. 2025.
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