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Synonyms

legal age

American  

noun

  1. the age at which a person acquires full legal rights and responsibilities, such as the right to make contracts and deeds.

Etymology

Origin of legal age

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

France meanwhile ran foul of European Union rules with a law calling for a "digital legal age" of 15, passed in 2023, that has since been blocked.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

She added that raising the legal age to 18 would "bring us into line with international human rights standards and reduce potential for violation of children's rights through coercive, sexual or financial abuse".

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday proposed raising the legal age that people in England can buy cigarettes by one year, every year until it applies to the whole population.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2023

Britain’s government raised the legal age of sale for tobacco from 16 to 18 in 2007.

From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2023

Charlie was of legal age to quit school, but I wasn’t, quite.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.