WordGarden.iolegitimately
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lədʒˈɪtɪmətli/
US
- /ləˈdʒɪtəmətli/
Meanings
Adverb
in a lawful, valid, or officially acceptable way
with good reason or on valid grounds
(informal)really or genuinely
Beyond the definition
If you earn something through hard work, you earn it legitimately. It means doing something in a way that is honest, fair, and within the rules. Think of a detective solving a case: they need to gather evidence legitimately so it can be used in court. You might also say someone is "a legitimately talented artist," meaning their skill is real and not just hype. In everyday speech, the word can also simply mean "truly," as in "I was legitimately surprised."
The word legitimately means in a way that is lawful, genuine, fair, or based on good reason. It often suggests that something was done according to rules, accepted standards, or proper process. In other cases, especially in everyday speech, it simply means "truly" or "really."
You might hear it in legal or formal contexts: "The company acquired the land legitimately through a fair purchase agreement." But the word is not limited to law. It can describe earning something honestly, as in "She won the competition legitimately, with no cheating." It can also describe real feelings or reactions, as in "He was legitimately surprised by the news."
In informal speech, legitimately is often used for emphasis. Someone might say, "That's a legitimately cool car!" meaning it is truly impressive. A person might ask, "Are you legitimately happy about this?" to check whether the feeling is real and not just polite or forced.
So, whether it is about legal actions, fair success, or real emotion, legitimately points to something that is done properly, honestly, or truly.
Examples
- 1
Purchase source
The ticket was bought legitimately from the theater's website.
- 2
Permission
The company can only use the photos if it obtained them legitimately.
- 3
Professional claim
After years of training, she can legitimately call herself an expert.
- 4
Parental concern
Parents were legitimately worried when the school closed without warning.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Fair question
You might legitimately ask why the price changed so suddenly.
- 6
Informal emphasis
That movie was legitimately funny, even though the trailer looked terrible.
- Usage
In informal speech, legitimately can mean "really" or "actually".
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- legitimately claim
- legitimately expect
- legitimately elected
- legitimately concerned
Word family
Explore
- authority
- due process
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- legitimatelyadverb