ENGLISH
REFERENCE

legally

adv.
US //ˈɫiɡəɫi// UK //lˈiːɡəli// legal·ly
  1. 1 permitted by law (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate Law

    in a way that is allowed by the law.

    in a manner that conforms to the law or is permitted by statute.

    Example

    The company is legally required to protect your personal data.

    Example

    The contract was signed and witnessed, making the agreement legally binding for both parties involved in the merger.

  2. 2 from a legal perspective (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    used to describe a situation based on what the law says.

    from a legal standpoint or according to the interpretation of the law.

    Example

    Legally, they are still married even though they live in different countries.

    Example

    Legally speaking, the defendant had no obligation to disclose his previous employment history during the initial interview process.

    • judicially
Origin

From legal + -ly. Piecewise doublet of leally and loyally.

© 2026 English Reference