legitimate 1 of 2

adjective

li-ˈji-tə-mət How to pronounce legitimate (audio)
Definition of legitimatenext
as in legal
permitted by law the mistrust created among investors by the financial scandal has hurt even companies engaged in wholly legitimate business practices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

legitimate

2 of 2

verb

as in to legitimize

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word legitimate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of legitimate are lawful, legal, and licit. While all these words mean "being in accordance with law," legitimate may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards.

a perfectly legitimate question about taxes

When is it sensible to use lawful instead of legitimate?

The synonyms lawful and legitimate are sometimes interchangeable, but lawful may apply to conformity with law of any sort (such as natural, divine, common, or canon).

the lawful sovereign

When can legal be used instead of legitimate?

While in some cases nearly identical to legitimate, legal applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts.

legal residents of the state

In what contexts can licit take the place of legitimate?

Although the words licit and legitimate have much in common, licit applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law.

the licit use of drugs by doctors

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 legitimate
Adjective
Boobie Ike is an entrepreneurial type from Vice City, who’s looking to turn his low-level criminal connections into more legitimate business ventures including real estate, strip clubs, and breaking into the music biz. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2025 Became one of the regions very best pitchers and a legitimate #MLBDraft prospect. —Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 26 May 2025
Verb
In response, elites double down, weaponizing the claim of misinformation to legitimate the stifling of debate. —Jacob Hale Russell, TIME, 4 Mar. 2025 Channeling their legacy of opposing power politics, internationalism and international organization would legitimate the American domination of power politics like no lone nationalism or limited alliance could. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 9 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for legitimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimate
  1. legal
  2. legitimize
  3. justifiable
  4. validate
  5. lawful
  6. sanction
  7. privilege
  8. warrant
Adjective
  • In order to pay his legal costs, AJ prepares to sell off some of his assets, which include the Airbnb.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 1 June 2025
  • Ethics are now a bore since unethical behavior can always be papered over with tricks such as deceptive statistics and abstruse legal arguments.
    — Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
Definition of legal
Verb
  • This use of legitimate infrastructure to legitimize malicious emails, forms and websites has driven viral story after viral story in recent months.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • But the right amount would legitimize their businesses, putting them on a path to skyrocketing growth.
    — Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
Definition of legitimize
Adjective
  • Those who need these funds and those who foot the bill are tied for justifiable anger at such fraud.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025
  • Powell has said the law does not give Trump the authority to remove any Fed official, including himself, without pointing to a justifiable cause.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 May 2025
Definition of justifiable
Verb
  • Effective strategies include extensive customer interviews, iterative prototyping and continuous feedback loops to validate your solutions.
    — Will Fan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Electoral regulators still must validate the vote, though that is viewed as a formality.
    — Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
Definition of validate
Adjective
  • On March 8, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and pro-Palestinian protester who graduated in December from Columbia University.
    — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • Two foreign nationals, including one with lawful permanent residency in the United States, have been indicted by a Wisconsin grand jury for attempting to smuggle U.S. military technology to China, including encrypted communications gear.
    — Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Definition of lawful
Verb
  • When the Church sanctions the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, two priests divided by doubt must confront a force beyond comprehension...and their own faith.
    — Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
  • Only 15 states have sanctioned girls flag football as a high school varsity sport.
    — Shaela Foster, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2025
Definition of sanction
Verb
  • While the hostage spends most of the movie off-camera, his abductors are crammed into frames that contain all of their perspectives without privileging any of them.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
  • This has often cast mountaineering achievements in a way that privileges men.
    — Jenny Hall, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
Definition of privilege
Verb
  • In these circumstances, an administrative stay is warranted while this Court assesses the government's entitlement to a stay.
    — Dan Gooding Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
  • However, as global financial regulations and transparency initiatives expand, freeports are ripe for scrutiny and regulatory measures which warrant staying up to date with compliance and reporting requirements.
    — Priya Prakash Royal Esq. LL.M. MBA AEP TEP, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Definition of warrant

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legitimacy
legitimate
legitimated
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Cite this Entry

“Legitimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of legitimate for Spanish Speakers

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