legalizes

verb

present tense third-person singular of legalize
as in permits
to make (something) legal They wanted to legalize gambling in their city.

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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
  1. permits
  2. allows
  3. approves
  4. sanctions
  5. enables
  6. licenses
  7. accepts
  8. authorizes
Verb
  • Chavez, a longtime friend of Pacheco’s, collected $170,000 from two marijuana firms for contracts and then paid him $93,000 in cash as Pacheco voted in 2017 and 2018 for the firms’ permits, according to plea agreements.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • TikTok bans gambling outright but permits auctions, mystery products and trading-card breaks that hinge on outcomes buyers can’t see coming.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of permits
Verb
  • Embroidery, beading, leatherwork, and fur transform the familiar silhouette, while a new second strap allows it to be slung across the shoulder.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The new rules mandated that referees stop play for a ten-minute hydration break that allows players to drink fluids, change clothes, or shower in their locker room.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of allows
Verb
  • Hyper-scale data centers often demand new natural-gas power plants and transmission lines, and Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission approves or denies permits for such developments, with no requirement for input from local communities.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Austin approves nearly thirty times as many building permits as Providence, adjusting for population size.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of approves
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
  • Bottom line Astra doesn't change our read on Palo Alto's results, which strengthened our conviction that cybersecurity is the software component that enables the adoption of artificial intelligence.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That lift power enables Falcon Heavy to send large payloads to distant destinations.
    — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of enables
Verb
  • In June, The CW reached a multi-year deal with BDE Miss USA, the company that licenses the pageants, according to Deadline.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Buermann licenses cartoons and shorts shown at each event, to check the boxes but also to gain industry respect and help with financial support.
    — Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of licenses
Verb
  • Nominations can be submitted by anyone, and the selection committee accepts self-nominations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Jones pleaded nolo contendere – a plea where the defendant accepts a conviction without directly admitting guilt – to one of the nine counts on June 30, 2026.
    — TJ Rhodes, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of accepts
Verb
  • Most insurers have to cover shots recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which evaluates and votes on vaccine use recommendations after the FDA approves or authorizes a vaccine.
    — Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • To support these demands, Jeanie Buss contends the California Probate Code authorizes a trustee to seek instructions from a court to resolve internal disagreements about a trust.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of authorizes

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legalized
legalizes
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Cite this Entry

“Legalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legalizes. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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