legalize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to make lawful or legal
-
to confirm or validate (something previously unlawful)
Other Word Forms
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
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-ize, List 2
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leg, legis
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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 December order did not come with a specific timeline, and it would not legalize marijuana.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Indiana became the latest to legalize them in December.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
But in the push to legalize same-sex marriage, advocates tended to flatten the experiences and family structures of queer people to make it palatable to the American public.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
“Their philosophy was: If it’s unsafe for kids, then you shouldn’t legalize it. And of course, that’s a stupid standard,” Stroup said.
From Slate • Dec. 23, 2025
In 1933 California agreed to legalize wagering on two conditions.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
