LEGITIMACY Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

legitimacy

noun

li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē

Definition of legitimacy

as in lawfulness

the quality or state of being legal the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations

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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 legitimacy The regime transmuted its coercive force into political legitimacy through the spectacular destruction of dissident bodies, restoring reverence for the Eagle. — Abdelrahman Elgendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 Certainly there were clear taboos, beginning with questioning the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party and criticizing the country’s central leadership. — Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026 Here again, actors deploying crypto’s financial heft crashed through boundaries that would have earlier been difficult for artists to circumnavigate without having achieved legitimacy through more conventional pathways in existing hierarchies. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 The woman questioned the legitimacy of the message and brought it to authorities. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legitimacy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for legitimacy

Noun

Andrew recently initiated legal proceedings against the Thames Valley Police and asked a judge to review the lawfulness of his arrest.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
Lawmakers and legal experts questioned the lawfulness of such protections.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of lawfulness

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legit

legitimacy

legitimate

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

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Synonyms of legitimacy

noun

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