legalize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
legalizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
legalized,
past participle, past
-
legalizing
present participle
verb
-
to make lawful or legal
-
to confirm or validate (something previously unlawful)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
legalizesimple
-
legalizessimple
-
have legalizedperfect
-
has legalizedperfect
-
am legalizingprogressive
-
are legalizingprogressive
-
is legalizingprogressive
-
have been legalizingperfect progressive
-
has been legalizingperfect progressive
Past
-
legalizedsimple
-
had legalizedperfect
-
was legalizingprogressive
-
were legalizingprogressive
-
had been legalizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of legalize
Explanation
To legalize some activity is to change a law so that people are free to do it. You might live in a state that once banned fireworks, until citizens voted to legalize them—making Independence Day significantly noisier. When something that's been illegal goes through the process of becoming legal, the government legalizes it. Gambling was legalized in Nevada back in the 1930s. To legalize a person is to make them a legal citizen of a country. Today, many people argue for legalizing victimless crimes, or those that arguably don't hurt anyone.
Vocabulary lists containing legalize
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ize
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
-ize, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
leg, legis (law)
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!
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.
See Examples For:
They gathered nearly 32,000 verified signatures to get "Initiative 86" on the ballot, which is more signatures than for a proposal to legalize cannabis approved in 2014.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Jocelyn Xoletl, who joined the office after Navarrete helped a family friend legalize their status, marveled at her boss’ energy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Earlier this year, the Spanish government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it would offer amnesty and legalize an estimated half a million immigrants who had arrived illegally in recent years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Supreme Court struck down the ban on sports betting, paving the way for states to legalize in-person and online betting.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
I write that America is my home in my heart, and how citizenship will legalize what I already feel.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
June 26, 2015 United States Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage nationwide.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2024
The 100-page "family code" legalizes same-sex marriage and civil unions, allows same-sex couples to adopt children, and promotes equal sharing of domestic rights and responsibilities between men and women.
From Reuters ● Sep. 26, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed into law a bill that effectively legalizes the cryptocurrency sector in the country.
From The Verge ● Mar. 17, 2022
Montenegro legalizes same-sex civil partnerships: Montenegro voted to legalize same-sex civil partnerships, becoming the first European country outside Western Europe and the European Union to legally recognize gay and lesbian couples.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 1, 2020
The act legalizes the deportation of people suspected of having “ties to terrorism.”
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
The film was released during a time when interracial marriage was not yet legalized nationwide.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Marriage equality was legalized in all 50 states by the Supreme Court 11 years ago in Obergefell v.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
In 2026, Idaho legalized starters-homes on small lots and Virginia allowed accessory dwelling units by right.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
The state’s supremacy in the sports-betting space is also noteworthy because New York only legalized online sports wagering in 2022.
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026
Nor can all that transpires in the wider culture—from Stonewall to Will & Grace to Brokeback Mountain to Glee to a U.S. president declaring his support for legalized gay marriage—change every mind in Levittown.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Since the early 1970s, Steinem used her voice and influence to work toward legalizing safe abortions while championing survivors of rape and domestic violence and pushing for equal pay in the workplace.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
Bass proposed legalizing vacation rentals in her budget this year, though the proposal was removed from the budget by the City Council.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
In 2025, Texas passed bills legalizing housing on commercially zoned land and subdivisions of starter homes, which were rendered difficult or illegal to build by municipal zoning laws, large lot requirements, or other design requirements.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
More than 20 other states are working on legalizing this technology, according to Bright Saver, a nonprofit that tracks and advocates for this technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Two men loudly discuss how Patel has been successful in legalizing their family members.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
