LEGALIZES Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

legalizes

verb

present tense third-person singular of legalize

as in permits

to make (something) legal They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of legalizes Senate Bill 6 legalizes possession of fentanyl testing strips, which can be used to detect the presence of fentanyl and help prevent overdoses. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 June 2026 This day in sports history 1944 — NFL legalizes coaching from bench. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 In December, the Chicago City Council passed a provision in the 2026 budget that legalizes licensing of unregulated video gambling terminals within the city limits. — Julie Darling, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026 This is in reference to Assembly Bill 720, a new California law which for the first time, legalizes tastings and wine sales at California vineyards. — Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026 The measure also legalizes possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis concentrates by adults, as well as cannabis edibles containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. — A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026 First, my plan legalizes the ability for any group to purchase insurance collectively and operate across state lines. — MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025 Both medical and recreational use are legal in Colorado, and New Mexico passed a law this year that legalizes certain medical uses. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legalizes

Verb

An alcohol vendor that permits underage drinking on its premises can face $250 in fines and 24 to 32 hours of community service, according to Southern California law firm Shouse Law Group.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Republicans in the Senate also proposed designating all of Pennsylvania a Commonwealth Opportunity Zone for AI, which would fast-track data center permits and create a regulatory framework in collaboration with the industry.

— Daniel J. Mallinson, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of permits

Verb

The platform also allows Marriott to see what skills its employees have, their level of experience, and their career aspirations.

— Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
They’re drawn by its floor-to-ceiling windows and Hudson River views, plus the porte-cochere that allows discreet access to $500,000 parking spaces away from paparazzi and nosy neighbors.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of allows

Verb

The bill sanctions Russian financial institutions and its largest state energy projects while targeting Russian partners in the oil and natural gas trade.

— Chris Boccia, ABC News, 14 July 2026
For starters the World Cup is run by the same organization, FIFA, which sanctions virtually every level of soccer globally, from the men’s and women’s World Cups, to confederation competitions including the UEFA Championships and the Copa América, to most major age-group tournaments.

— Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Definition of sanctions

Verb

Thorium-229 enables nuclear timing Thorium-229 offers a rare advantage for nuclear timekeeping.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Yet, one of leadership’s great paradoxes is that slowing down enough to invest in people is often what ultimately enables teams and organizations to move faster.

— Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of enables

Verb

Pharma giant Novo licenses Chinese weight-loss drug Danish pharma giant Novo licensed a weight-loss treatment developed by a Chinese firm, highlighting advances in China’s increasingly cutting-edge biotech sector.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Money transmission is regulated state by state, and most crypto platforms spend years assembling money transmitter licenses one jurisdiction at a time.

— Ivan Kan, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of licenses

Verb

Debounce delay is the time between when a key on a mechanical keyboard is pressed and when the keyboard accepts the keypress as an input.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Put another way, roughly two employees are weighing an exit for every one who accepts a job at a company.

— Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of accepts

Verb

The law, which went into effect immediately, also authorizes the state tax agency to impose tax liability on individual members of a business.

— Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
The board’s decision authorizes Waste Management and Recycling to initiate the Proposition 218 process required before residential rate increases can be implemented.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of authorizes

Browse Nearby Words

legalized

legalizes

legalizing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Legalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizes. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of legalizes

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nexus

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes