Meaning & use
legal
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Allowed or required by law.
Grammar: Not usually used with 'very' or in the comparative; it describes a fact about the law.
Patterns
- it is legal to do something
- legal for someone to do something
It is legal to park here after 6 p.m.
Is it legal to download music for free?
The company's actions were perfectly legal.
adjectivebefore a noun
Connected with the law or with lawyers and courts.
Grammar: Used before a noun: legal advice, legal system.
Patterns
- legal advice
- legal system
- legal action
She works for a legal firm in London.
You should get legal advice before signing the contract.
The case went through the legal system quickly.
Common combinations
- legal action
- The neighbors threatened to take legal action over the noise.
- legal advice
- He sought legal advice before making a decision.
- legal system
- The legal system in that country is very different from ours.
- legal rights
- Everyone has legal rights that must be respected.
- legal age
- You must be of legal age to buy alcohol.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lawful
- Very similar, but often used in formal or religious contexts; 'legal' is the everyday word for what the law allows.
- legitimate
- Suggests something is fair or reasonable, not just allowed by law; 'legal' focuses only on the law.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: legal or legible?
legal vs legible
Legible means clear enough to read; legal means allowed by law or related to law. They sound similar but have very different meanings.
Practice
It is not ______ to drive without a license.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs an adjective after 'is not'. 'Legal' fits the meaning 'allowed by law'. 'Legible' means readable; 'legally' is an adverb; 'legality' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “legal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.