legacy

noun

ˈle-gə-sē How to pronounce legacy (audio)
Definition of legacynext
as in inheritance
something that is or may be inherited the old locket was part of the legacy from my great-great-grandmother

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 legacy Their courage defined an era, and their legacy continues today. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 The whale ultimately serves as a stand-in for Mitt and the all-consuming weight of his legacy and expectations on Jay. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 But now there is significant conflict over the management and direction of the Tom of Finland Foundation, which is based in Los Angeles and is devoted to preserving the legacy of the artist born Touko Laaksonen (1920–1991). — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 That trailblazing legacy will reach another milestone next month, when Wu-Tang Clan is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. — John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legacy
inheritance
Noun
  • When a quarrel over an inheritance revives old hostilities, their relationship comes under pressure from greed and treachery in a conflict not of their making.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The exchange speaks to a broader shift in how craft is continuing to be understood, not as a static inheritance but as a living body of knowledge, continually shaped by those who practice it.
    — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of inheritance

Browse Nearby Words

legacies
legacy
legal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legacy. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on legacy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legacy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All