legitimate government

Cultural

A government generally acknowledged as being in control of a nation and deserving formal recognition, which is symbolized by the exchange of diplomats between that government and the governments of other countries.

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.

Others think she was simply seeking more time to find a bright line between legitimate government activity and the unconstitutional “commandeering” of state resources for federal purposes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026

"I don't recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government, and they don't have recognition here in Austria," said 53-year-old Bakhtari.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

“Members of the public often have no way to confirm whether they are interacting with legitimate government officials,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif, said in a statement.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2025

And so, Roberts ruled, the court need only ask whether the health care ban is “rationally related to a legitimate government interest.”

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2025

Free labour and its derivative free trade are the first conditions of legitimate government.

From Lectures on the French Revolution by Figgis, John Neville

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