legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz 
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
Examples of legalize in a Sentence
They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.
The government has legalized the use of the new drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
This marks the first summer with recreational marijuana in Ohio after voters legalized it for adults 21 and older.
—
Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024
But Diane Calello, MD, executive medical director of New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, told Health that medical issues are common after drugs are legalized.
—Korin Miller, Health, 20 June 2024
The move will create a record of formal forgiveness and is part of a national movement to unwind criminal justice inequities as marijuana use is increasingly legalized.
—Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 17 June 2024
Lawmakers could legalize human composting in Arizona.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for legalize 
Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024
But Diane Calello, MD, executive medical director of New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, told Health that medical issues are common after drugs are legalized.
—Korin Miller, Health, 20 June 2024
The move will create a record of formal forgiveness and is part of a national movement to unwind criminal justice inequities as marijuana use is increasingly legalized.
—Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 17 June 2024
Lawmakers could legalize human composting in Arizona.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for legalize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Legalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legalize. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legalize
verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
wanted to legalize gambling in their city
Legal Definition
legalize
transitive verb
le·gal·ize
ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
legalized; legalizing
: to make legal
especially
: to give legal validity or sanction to
legalization
noun
legalizer
noun
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