LEGITIMIZING Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

legitimizing

verb

present participle of legitimize

as in authorizing

to make something real, accepted, or official slang words legitimized by usage

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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 legitimizing The company is abandoning the $799 price point, with the Pixel 11 expected to start at $899 for 256GB storage, legitimizing a wider industry shift to higher base storage and prices. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 There is no formal consensus, however, and no faction willing to move first on anything that could be portrayed as surrendering leverage, legitimizing the bombing campaign, or handing Trump a clear victory. — Sanam Vakil, Time, 16 July 2026 The mayor himself will arrive this morning ahead of his afternoon one-on-one with Leo, the first American — and Chicago-born — pope, whose advocacy on immigrant rights and historic apology on Monday for the Holy See’s role in legitimizing slavery will be top of the list for Johnson to discuss. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 Strong suggests legitimizing and standardizing station tattoos, making a design readily available if deputies want to pay homage to their workplace, as other departments across the nation do. — Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 28 May 2026 Its historic proximity to success is a legitimizing anchor for the movement. — Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Institutions that once prided themselves on filtering out this kind of rhetoric are now legitimizing it. — Alma Hernandez, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimizing

Verb

In that case, voters had already approved an amendment in April authorizing mid-decade redistricting when the court ruled that lawmakers last year had waited too long to take an initial step necessary to qualify it for the ballot.

— David A. Lieb, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Congress eventually approved a bill authorizing water projects nationwide.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of authorizing

Verb

This week, there was a major breakthrough when DNA provided by her sister, Burks, was determined to be a match, enabling investigators to finally identify the 1995 victim as Lydia.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Unlike conventional lithium-ion cells, these batteries replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid ceramic material, potentially enabling higher energy density and improved reliability.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of enabling

Verb

ProPublica verified the veracity of the unredacted database by comparing its booking records to those in Pinellas’ online search tool and by validating the booking dates and timestamps against the federal immigration datasets.

— Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026
This extension is a significant relief for the sport, ensuring a top talent remains and validating driver feedback on future rules.

— Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of validating

Verb

The ruling gave hijras official status as a minority community, entitling them to various forms of government assistance.

— Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
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

Definition of entitling

Verb

Court records show the wrongdoing began when Baldwin Park started permitting cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and distribution in 2017.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
The proposal would have streamlined environmental review and permitting for shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing in the Collinsville area, which is central to California Forever.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of permitting

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“Legitimizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legitimizing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of legitimizing

verb

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