legal

[lee-guhl] / ˈli gəl /

ADJECTIVE

allowable, permissible

Synonyms

STRONGEST

constitutional contractual fair juridical lawful legitimate proper statutory valid

WEAK

acknowledged allowed authorized card-carrying chartered clean condign decreed due enforceable enforced enjoined forensic granted innocent judged judicial just justifiable justified legalized legit licit on the level on the up and up ordained passed precedented prescribed protected right rightful sanctioned sound straight sure-enough warranted within the law

Antonyms

STRONGEST

illegal illegitimate invalid unacceptable unlawful

WEAK

illicit wrong

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Now nine of the more than 20 institutions involved have begun legal action against the government to challenge that decision.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Prosecutors say they’ll appeal, but that legal battle will likely take months if not longer.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

It is common for justices to spar in their written opinions, and they sometimes expound on their legal disagreements in speeches or interviews.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The Terner Center said going to multiple agencies for needed funding adds costs because developers have to endure higher legal, staffing and compliance costs to manage additional applications and contracts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Even though Bobby felt Paramount’s behavior was unethical and unfair, he took no legal action.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Vocabulary lists containing legal

Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2

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Iroquois Constitution

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Word Generation Weekly - Series 1

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!