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.

They don’t have legal status in the meantime, leaving them vulnerable to deportation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Catsimatidis has been a fixture in the New York tabloids for decades, not always in a positive way as he’s had legal battles with unions at his businesses over the years.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

In 2008, Gorka moved to the United States with his American wife, also a counterterrorism specialist, and eventually became a naturalized citizen — “a legal immigrant,” as he is introduced at events.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

Many were employed informally without any legal contract.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

If life had a sound track—and sometimes I think that’s a great idea—those dunh dunh gavel sounds from that legal show would have sounded then.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Vocabulary lists containing legal

Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2

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Iroquois Constitution

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Word Generation Weekly - Series 1

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