legitimately
adverb
le·git·i·mate·ly
li-ˈji-tə-mət-lē 
: in a legitimate manner : according to what is lawful, permitted, appropriate, or reasonable
money earned legitimately [=legally]
a question that can be legitimately asked
… objects of ritual significance that were common tribal property seldom if ever could have come legitimately into nontribal hands.—
Robert McC. Adams
Robert McC. AdamsThe other kind of steroids are the potent inflammation fighters widely and legitimately used to treat dozens of illnesses.—Paul G. Donohue
Paul G. Donohue… several objections to their book can legitimately be raised.—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt
Christopher Lehmann-HauptExamples of legitimately in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These reviews ensure benefits go only to those who remain eligible, yet reducing them leads to billions in improper payments to individuals no longer meeting medical criteria, while simultaneously creating barriers for those legitimately disabled who can't get their applications processed promptly.
—Nick Hart, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Israel legitimately is looking for ways to choke Hamas off financially.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Some package payment requests are real There are some cases where consumers might legitimately pay for products purchased from another country, namely, customs duties.
—Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 19 May 2025
That does not mean that the message cannot be legitimately criticized as reckless at a time of increasing political violence.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimately
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.
Nick Hart, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Israel legitimately is looking for ways to choke Hamas off financially.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Some package payment requests are real There are some cases where consumers might legitimately pay for products purchased from another country, namely, customs duties.
—Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 19 May 2025
That does not mean that the message cannot be legitimately criticized as reckless at a time of increasing political violence.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legitimately
Cite this Entry
“Legitimately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimately. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share