illegalize
verb
il·le·gal·ize (ˌ)i(l)-ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz 
illegalized; illegalizing; illegalizes
: to make or declare illegal
Examples of illegalize in a Sentence
a bill that would illegalize the private use of fireworks
Recent Examples on the Web
Basis for the suit to illegalize the union, lawyers explained, is the difference in race between the participants. —
sandiegouniontribune.com, 28 Feb. 2018 Rather than negotiating a political agreement, Madrid decided to illegalize Basque political parties allegedly linked with terrorism and to prosecute their leaders. —Sergi Pardos-Prado, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2017 The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, a bill focused on illegalizing any conversion therapy that charges money, was filed in the U.S. Senate in April. —Joseph Frankel, The Atlantic, 10 July 2017
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.
sandiegouniontribune.com, 28 Feb. 2018 Rather than negotiating a political agreement, Madrid decided to illegalize Basque political parties allegedly linked with terrorism and to prosecute their leaders. —Sergi Pardos-Prado, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2017 The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, a bill focused on illegalizing any conversion therapy that charges money, was filed in the U.S. Senate in April. —Joseph Frankel, The Atlantic, 10 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Illegalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/illegalize. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
illegalize
transitive verb
il·le·ga·lize il-ˈlē-gə-ˌlīz
: to make or declare illegal
compare criminalize
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