as in authorizing
to make something real, accepted, or official
slang words legitimized by usage
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Recent Examples of legitimizing
Critics caution the pope against allowing the government to exploit his presence, warning his visit risks legitimizing the regime’s abuses while offering only symbolic appeals for peace.
—
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
There is a difference in legitimizing a person’s agenda versus finding common ground.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Others contend that legitimizing him erodes Democratic credibility on antisemitism and other issues, handing Republicans ammunition heading into the midterms.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
What hurts the Cuban people is legitimizing it.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The clean prose, self-criticism, and psychological insight give Young Man in a Hurry a reason to exist beyond legitimizing a book tour through the early-primary and swing states.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
What role did the press play in legitimizing American action in the Spanish American War and also bringing it to an end?
—Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Companies have been forced to navigate a complex environment in which continuing operations risks legitimizing the junta, while withdrawal raises fears of mass job losses in an already devastated economy.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
Thus, peace in Ukraine will require a global effort to combat disinformation legitimizing Russia’s aggression and obscuring its war crimes.
—Valerie Morkevicius, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
There is a difference in legitimizing a person’s agenda versus finding common ground.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Others contend that legitimizing him erodes Democratic credibility on antisemitism and other issues, handing Republicans ammunition heading into the midterms.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
What hurts the Cuban people is legitimizing it.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The clean prose, self-criticism, and psychological insight give Young Man in a Hurry a reason to exist beyond legitimizing a book tour through the early-primary and swing states.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
What role did the press play in legitimizing American action in the Spanish American War and also bringing it to an end?
—Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Companies have been forced to navigate a complex environment in which continuing operations risks legitimizing the junta, while withdrawal raises fears of mass job losses in an already devastated economy.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
Thus, peace in Ukraine will require a global effort to combat disinformation legitimizing Russia’s aggression and obscuring its war crimes.
—Valerie Morkevicius, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimizing
Verb
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Adobe's board on Tuesday showed its own belief in the business outlook and the stock, authorizing a new $25 billion share repurchase program.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
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Last week, Kansas City passed an ordinance authorizing the City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate a deal with up to $600 million in public bonds and tax increment financing toward a new stadium.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The system reduces energy costs for hydrogen production while enabling the co-production of chemical feedstocks, thereby enhancing the economic viability of green hydrogen.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Quantum computers calculate in fractions of a second what would have taken classical supercomputers septillions of years, enabling us to create personalized pharmaceuticals and materials with extraordinary properties.—
David Awschalom,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After proving worthiness and validating effectiveness, the prototype warheads departed Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, for Redstone Arsenal, where a live demonstration was conducted for Army leaders, as per the release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Intel’s report Thursday evening revealed booming demand for CPUs, or central processing units, validating the very reason the Club initiated a position on Arm on Monday.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The superintendent, general counsel and chief auditor qualify for the supplements due to provisions in their contracts entitling them to the same increases as other administrative staff, officials said.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
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The complaint alleges Johnson failed to disclose restricted stock units entitling him to 330,000 shares in his January 2024 bankruptcy petition.—
Zach Everson,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Phelps departed the top of the company after an acrimonious lawsuit and subsequent trial between the sanctioning body of NASCAR and two of its Cup Series teams — a 14-month process that revealed some pretty unflattering messages sent within NASCAR leadership.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Apr. 2026
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The sanctioning body pulled the plug early Saturday after overnight rain continued into the early morning hours.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The organization, which already handles production permitting in other areas of Los Angeles County, announced a new partnership Friday with Manhattan Beach to handle the city’s film-permitting process.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
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Eleven states have laws permitting it, while others have approved it through rules or other mechanisms, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the VoteMama Foundation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legitimizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimizing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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