legitimize
/lɪˈdʒɪt.ɪ.maɪz/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To make something legal, acceptable, or officially approved. It can also mean to make an action or idea seem acceptable.
- The law legitimized the new political party.
- He tried to legitimize his decision with facts.
- That excuse does not legitimize rude behavior.
Adinary Nuance
Legitimize is stronger and more official than justify. You use it when something becomes legal, approved, or accepted by authority. It is also different from validate, which is often about confirming that something is true or correct. If you mean “make seem okay,” legitimize can sound more formal and serious.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hợp pháp hóa
- Spanish
- legitimar
- Chinese
- 使合法化
- Japanese
- 正当化する
- Korean
- 정당화하다
Etymology
Legitimize came into English in the 19th century from French légitimer, based on Latin legitimare, meaning “make lawful.” It is related to legitimate.
Common phrases
legitimize powerlegitimize a decisionlegitimize an actionlegitimize the process
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is legitimize formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. You will often see it in academic, legal, and news writing.
- What is the difference between legitimize and justify?
- Legitimize means to make something legal or acceptable. Justify means to show a reason for it.
- Can legitimize be used in business writing?
- Yes. It works well when you mean official approval or making a process seem acceptable.
- Is legitimize a common word?
- Yes, but it is more common in writing than in everyday speech.