as in legitimate
permitted by law
law enforcement agencies are demanding stricter regulation of the sale of licit medications that can later be used in the home manufacture of illicit drugs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of licit
Saulnier’s script suggests his thorough research into the fine points of police procedure, licit and illicit, and likewise into the intricacies of judicial authority and hand-to-hand combat (including minutiae about firearms and ammunition).
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024
In Guerrero, more than 65% live in poverty, and around 40 criminal groups operate in different licit and illicit activities, according to the International Crisis Group.
—Karol Suárez, The Courier-Journal, 25 Apr. 2024
Farmers upstate were growing fields of licit marijuana!
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
In trying to please its senior ranks, the army has allowed officers to benefit from criminal enterprises—the army helps preside over Myanmar’s licit and illicit economies.
—Avinash Paliwal, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2024
But animals’ taste for human goods — licit and illicit — can also bring trouble for them and for us.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
The only morally licit treatment of an ectopic pregnancy, for a Catholic, besides watch and wait, is the salpingectomy, on the basis that the demise of the pregnancy is an indirect effect of acting to preserve the mother’s life.
—Joanna Petrone, Longreads, 18 Aug. 2017
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024
In Guerrero, more than 65% live in poverty, and around 40 criminal groups operate in different licit and illicit activities, according to the International Crisis Group.
—Karol Suárez, The Courier-Journal, 25 Apr. 2024
Farmers upstate were growing fields of licit marijuana!
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
In trying to please its senior ranks, the army has allowed officers to benefit from criminal enterprises—the army helps preside over Myanmar’s licit and illicit economies.
—Avinash Paliwal, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2024
But animals’ taste for human goods — licit and illicit — can also bring trouble for them and for us.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
The only morally licit treatment of an ectopic pregnancy, for a Catholic, besides watch and wait, is the salpingectomy, on the basis that the demise of the pregnancy is an indirect effect of acting to preserve the mother’s life.
—Joanna Petrone, Longreads, 18 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licit
Adjective
-
Even legitimate payment flows from emerging markets are frequently flagged for investigation under the guise of compliance, slowing their transfer.—
Wale Ayeni,
semafor.com,
14 July 2025
-
That decision prompted a Title IX lawsuit filed by five volleyball players and the team’s head coach, alleging the school was disguising a club activity as a legitimate varsity sport to artificially inflate its female participation numbers.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Currently, workers have no legal recourse for grievances submitted to the National Labor Relations Board due to the removal of NLRB members by the Trump administration.—
Nick Gauthier,
Hartford Courant,
7 July 2025
-
Many legal scholars don't share Jackson's ominous view, including several critical of Trump.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone who interferes with our lawful mission will be arrested.—
Danielle Wallace , Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
9 July 2025
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These high-level employees often operate under unique contractual arrangements, have access to sensitive company information and may be terminated for reasons that blur the line between lawful discretion and unlawful motive.—
JC Serrano,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Licit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licit. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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