as in lawfulness
the quality or state of being legal
the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations
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Recent Examples of legitimacy
Allegations of electoral irregularities led many countries to question the legitimacy of the outcome.
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Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
By contrast, Vito—Genovese, that is, not Corleone—pushes drugs aggressively, resorts to violence early and often, and scoffs at any pretensions of legitimacy, especially given the legalized thuggery of the politicians with whom Frank has curried favor.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
Individuals can request official identification and confirm their legitimacy by contacting the local ICE field office.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Despite his reputation as an institutionalist committed to preserving the court’s legitimacy, Roberts has frequently authored or joined opinions that benefited Trump’s political and legal standing.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
By contrast, Vito—Genovese, that is, not Corleone—pushes drugs aggressively, resorts to violence early and often, and scoffs at any pretensions of legitimacy, especially given the legalized thuggery of the politicians with whom Frank has curried favor.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
Individuals can request official identification and confirm their legitimacy by contacting the local ICE field office.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Despite his reputation as an institutionalist committed to preserving the court’s legitimacy, Roberts has frequently authored or joined opinions that benefited Trump’s political and legal standing.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Cite this Entry
“Legitimacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimacy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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