legitimize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of legitimize
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin lēgitim(us) ( see legitim) + -ize
Explanation
When you legitimize something, you officially approve it, or make it legal. For example, a 1967 Supreme Court case legitimized interracial marriage in the United States. The verb legitimize is very similar to legalize, although there are some slight differences between the two. When you legalize something, you also legitimize it — it's permitted, or allowed. But when you legitimize something, it doesn't always involve the legal system. For example, your teacher might legitimize open-book tests or your boss could legitimize bringing dogs to work.
Vocabulary lists containing legitimize
Vocabulary from "Stop Expecting Games to Build Empathy" by Julie Muncy
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The Stranger
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Words From the Final 2020 Presidential Debate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cases like Lynch helped legitimize claims for Black citizenship, portraying birthright citizenship as an American tradition.
From Slate • Mar. 18, 2026
While an MoU is no more than a non-binding agreement, the pact built on both countries’ efforts to legitimize quantum computing.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
With such blatant motives, the press can either interrogate this relationship or help legitimize it.
From Salon • Jan. 5, 2026
In the decades that followed, in his complementary positions as book critic and editor, Cowley worked tirelessly to legitimize the innovative writing of Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Hart Crane, E.E.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
Many Eurasian states and empires had official religions that contributed to state cohesion, being invoked to legitimize the political leadership and to sanction wars against other peoples.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
