Legitimacy
noun
The quality of being legal or acceptable.
Many people question the legitimacy of this government.
Often appears as...
- question the legitimacy
- establish the legitimacy
noun
The right to be accepted as a ruler or a leader.
The king worked hard to maintain his legitimacy.
Often appears as...
- maintain legitimacy
- lose legitimacy
noun
The state of things that people generally approve and accept.
As a doctor, you need to act in a way that maintains your legitimacy.
Often appears as...
- assert legitimacy
- enhance legitimacy
noun
The ability to be defended with logic or justification.
The philosopher questioned the legitimacy of his opponent's argument.
Often appears as...
- question the legitimacy
- establish the legitimacy
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The quality of being legal or acceptable.
Many people question the legitimacy of this government.
Often appears as...
- question the legitimacy
- establish the legitimacy
noun
The right to be accepted as a ruler or a leader.
The king worked hard to maintain his legitimacy.
Often appears as...
- maintain legitimacy
- lose legitimacy
noun
The state of things that people generally approve and accept.
As a doctor, you need to act in a way that maintains your legitimacy.
Often appears as...
- assert legitimacy
- enhance legitimacy
noun
The ability to be defended with logic or justification.
The philosopher questioned the legitimacy of his opponent's argument.
Often appears as...
- question the legitimacy
- establish the legitimacy
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Legal Acceptance
Legitimacy refers to something being within the law and socially accepted.
The legitimacy of the new policy was recognized by the international community.
Pro Tip 2/2Beyond Law
Sometimes 'legitimacy' includes moral or ethical acceptance, not just legal.
Despite being legal, the project lacked legitimacy in the public's eyes.
Pro Tip 1/2Legal Acceptance
Legitimacy refers to something being within the law and socially accepted.
The legitimacy of the new policy was recognized by the international community.
Pro Tip 2/2Beyond Law
Sometimes 'legitimacy' includes moral or ethical acceptance, not just legal.
Despite being legal, the project lacked legitimacy in the public's eyes.
Pro Tip 1/2Legal Acceptance
Legitimacy refers to something being within the law and socially accepted.
The legitimacy of the new policy was recognized by the international community.
Pro Tip 2/2Beyond Law
Sometimes 'legitimacy' includes moral or ethical acceptance, not just legal.
Despite being legal, the project lacked legitimacy in the public's eyes.
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Video examples
Andrew Mwenda: Let's...
Many countries in the, they need legitimacy. To get legitimacy, governments often need to deliver things like primary education, primary health, roads, build hospitals and clinics. If the government's fiscal survival depends on it having to raise money from its own people,
Video examples
A path to security for...
and pretty soon, they devolve into gangs over time. Other gangs come in, mafias come in, and they offer to protect people from the other criminals and from the police. Unlike the state, the criminals often try to buy legitimacy. They give charity. They solve disputes.
Video examples
Who built Great...
sought to discredit this theory because it challenged the legitimacy of their rule. In fact, the government actively encouraged historians to produce accounts that disputed the city's African origins. Over time, however, an overwhelming body of evidence mounted,
Video examples
Can you outsmart a troll...
and give them perceived legitimacy. You could message a few local journalists asking whether these rumors are true and express your concerns. By the time an article comes out debunking the rumors, people’s experiences of the truth will have become so warped
Video examples
Samantha Power: Shaking...
How Sisyphean this task was of mending, and yet aware of that complexity, humbled by it, he wasn't paralyzed by it. And we as citizens, as we go through this experience of the kind of, the crisis of confidence, crisis of competence, crisis of legitimacy,
Video examples
This is what democracy...
And as we search for the truth about government, we should keep Ambrogio's work, not a lie but an allegory, in our collective mind's eye. During Lorenzetti's time, the political legitimacy of Italian city-states was often on very shaky ground.
Video examples
How to understand power...
if it motivates enough people to change their thinking and actions. And so the sixth source of power is numbers, lots of humans. A vocal mass of people creates power by expressing collective intensity of interest and by asserting legitimacy.
Video examples
Ilona Szabó de Carvalho:...
But the legitimacy of the campaign is based on their diverse points of view. Over a decade ago, I had a comfortable future working for an investment bank. I was as far removed from the world of civil society diplomacy as you can imagine.
Video examples
Treasure Wars: Overview...
will make an awful lot of money now are they good guys or bad guys you tell me let's not lose sight of the legitimacy of collecting let's not lose sight of the fact that dealers care around the world dealers collectors museum
Video examples
Eric X. Li: A tale of...
Such a system is operationally rigid, politically closed, and morally illegitimate. Well, the assumptions are wrong. The opposites are true. Adaptability, meritocracy, and legitimacy are the three defining characteristics
Video examples
Andrew Mwenda: Let's...
Many countries in the, they need legitimacy. To get legitimacy, governments often need to deliver things like primary education, primary health, roads, build hospitals and clinics. If the government's fiscal survival depends on it having to raise money from its own people,
Video examples
A path to security for...
and pretty soon, they devolve into gangs over time. Other gangs come in, mafias come in, and they offer to protect people from the other criminals and from the police. Unlike the state, the criminals often try to buy legitimacy. They give charity. They solve disputes.
Video examples
Who built Great...
sought to discredit this theory because it challenged the legitimacy of their rule. In fact, the government actively encouraged historians to produce accounts that disputed the city's African origins. Over time, however, an overwhelming body of evidence mounted,
Video examples
Can you outsmart a troll...
and give them perceived legitimacy. You could message a few local journalists asking whether these rumors are true and express your concerns. By the time an article comes out debunking the rumors, people’s experiences of the truth will have become so warped
Video examples
Samantha Power: Shaking...
How Sisyphean this task was of mending, and yet aware of that complexity, humbled by it, he wasn't paralyzed by it. And we as citizens, as we go through this experience of the kind of, the crisis of confidence, crisis of competence, crisis of legitimacy,
Video examples
This is what democracy...
And as we search for the truth about government, we should keep Ambrogio's work, not a lie but an allegory, in our collective mind's eye. During Lorenzetti's time, the political legitimacy of Italian city-states was often on very shaky ground.
Video examples
How to understand power...
if it motivates enough people to change their thinking and actions. And so the sixth source of power is numbers, lots of humans. A vocal mass of people creates power by expressing collective intensity of interest and by asserting legitimacy.
Video examples
Ilona Szabó de Carvalho:...
But the legitimacy of the campaign is based on their diverse points of view. Over a decade ago, I had a comfortable future working for an investment bank. I was as far removed from the world of civil society diplomacy as you can imagine.
Video examples
Treasure Wars: Overview...
will make an awful lot of money now are they good guys or bad guys you tell me let's not lose sight of the legitimacy of collecting let's not lose sight of the fact that dealers care around the world dealers collectors museum
Video examples
Eric X. Li: A tale of...
Such a system is operationally rigid, politically closed, and morally illegitimate. Well, the assumptions are wrong. The opposites are true. Adaptability, meritocracy, and legitimacy are the three defining characteristics
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Mo Ibrahim
Sudanese Businessman
For citizens to become fully engaged in holding their leadership to account, accurate information is required to see where action is needed, to measure the results of policies and programmes, to build support for courageous decisions and to consolidate political legitimacy.
Quote examples
Colin Powell
American Statesman
The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and security will be met - or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power.
Quote examples
Peter DeFazio
American Politician
A timeline for bringing U.S. troops home that is negotiated with the Iraqi government would also boost the Iraqi government's legitimacy and claim to self-rule, and force the Iraqi government to take responsibility for itself and its citizens.
Quote examples
Shelby Steele
American Author
America still has a race problem, though not the one that conventional wisdom would suggest: the racism of whites toward blacks. Old fashioned white racism has lost its legitimacy in the world and become an almost universal disgrace.
Quote examples
Howard Rheingold
American Critic
The more material there is, the more need there is for filters. You don't need a printing press anymore, but you do need people who know how to cultivate sources, double-check information and put the brand of legitimacy on it.
Quote examples
Enrico Letta
Italian Politician
Today, parliaments are more important because of the need of legitimacy, of the popular legitimacy, of public opinion legitimacy of politics. Parliaments are, at the end of the day, the only true legitimacy.
Quote examples
Jenna Wortham
American Journalist
Best-friend tattoos require so much prep work, which adds to their legitimacy. First, a friendship must be deep enough to warrant the rite; then the perfect symbol must be found to forge the bond.
Quote examples
John Singleton
American Director
I already have legitimacy as a filmmaker and now I'm trying to do stuff that's just fun. Until I find a cool tangible subject again that I want to tackle.
Quote examples
Michael Giacchino
American Composer
Lost,' at its core, is a science-fiction show. Live music helps lend an air of legitimacy to this otherwise crazy storyline. It makes a big difference.
Quote examples
Henry Paulson
American Public Servant
When you look at territorial disputes, there are good arguments on any sides. I think it's important that we don't take sides on legitimacy.
Quote examples
Mo Ibrahim
Sudanese Businessman
For citizens to become fully engaged in holding their leadership to account, accurate information is required to see where action is needed, to measure the results of policies and programmes, to build support for courageous decisions and to consolidate political legitimacy.
Quote examples
Colin Powell
American Statesman
The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and security will be met - or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power.
Quote examples
Peter DeFazio
American Politician
A timeline for bringing U.S. troops home that is negotiated with the Iraqi government would also boost the Iraqi government's legitimacy and claim to self-rule, and force the Iraqi government to take responsibility for itself and its citizens.
Quote examples
Shelby Steele
American Author
America still has a race problem, though not the one that conventional wisdom would suggest: the racism of whites toward blacks. Old fashioned white racism has lost its legitimacy in the world and become an almost universal disgrace.
Quote examples
Howard Rheingold
American Critic
The more material there is, the more need there is for filters. You don't need a printing press anymore, but you do need people who know how to cultivate sources, double-check information and put the brand of legitimacy on it.
Quote examples
Enrico Letta
Italian Politician
Today, parliaments are more important because of the need of legitimacy, of the popular legitimacy, of public opinion legitimacy of politics. Parliaments are, at the end of the day, the only true legitimacy.
Quote examples
Jenna Wortham
American Journalist
Best-friend tattoos require so much prep work, which adds to their legitimacy. First, a friendship must be deep enough to warrant the rite; then the perfect symbol must be found to forge the bond.
Quote examples
John Singleton
American Director
I already have legitimacy as a filmmaker and now I'm trying to do stuff that's just fun. Until I find a cool tangible subject again that I want to tackle.
Quote examples
Michael Giacchino
American Composer
Lost,' at its core, is a science-fiction show. Live music helps lend an air of legitimacy to this otherwise crazy storyline. It makes a big difference.
Quote examples
Henry Paulson
American Public Servant
When you look at territorial disputes, there are good arguments on any sides. I think it's important that we don't take sides on legitimacy.
Example 1 of 10
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