Definitions

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.

The question of whether the U.S. government could use Anthropic’s AI for all lawful purposes is at the core of the company’s ongoing legal dispute with the Defense Department.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Some argue a ban would offer young people legal protection against assault, while others said it could criminalise parents.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Examples they gave include pressure by the tech sector, which the report said led the EU to propose legal changes that risk "severely" weakening AI and data privacy rules.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

They’re also pursuing more tickets and towing more electric vehicles when they’re not street legal or ridden by someone who is not legally allowed certain bikes.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

It was a legal mess that could only be settled in the Supreme Court.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Vocabulary lists containing legal

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