as in lawfulness
the quality or state of being legal
the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legitimacy
Watching Power Ballad, audience sympathies toggle back-and-forth between Rudd’s Rick and his quest for credit and Jonas’ Danny, with his desire for legitimacy.
—
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Its overarching premise is that the law loses its legitimacy when political and economic elites violate—or are merely perceived to violate—the social contract.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Experts and citizens now living outside the country said the president is using Leo’s visit to push for legitimacy despite discontent over the family’s tight grip on power.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Instead, legitimacy is often determined later through a complex network of audits, documentation reviews, denials, appeals, and compliance checks.
—Holland Haynie, STAT, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Its overarching premise is that the law loses its legitimacy when political and economic elites violate—or are merely perceived to violate—the social contract.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Experts and citizens now living outside the country said the president is using Leo’s visit to push for legitimacy despite discontent over the family’s tight grip on power.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Instead, legitimacy is often determined later through a complex network of audits, documentation reviews, denials, appeals, and compliance checks.
—Holland Haynie, STAT, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for legitimacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimacy
Noun
-
Had the former Wolverines coach and prosecutors failed to negotiate a plea deal and gone to trial, Moore’s attorneys were expected to attack the admissibility of evidence and the lawfulness of a search warrant.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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The petitions are not contesting removal orders, only the lawfulness of detaining the noncitizen plaintiffs during those proceedings.—
Tasha Carvell,
Twin Cities,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the House, members were poised to vote on several contentious bills, including on the legality of warrantless surveillance and on funding the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down since mid-February.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
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Moderator Julie Watts noted that California home insurance rates are below the national average and questioned the legality of a freeze.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legitimacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimacy. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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