Find Antonyms

legitimate Antonyms

Opposite of legitimate

Because the opposite of legitimate shifts with each meaning, the 20 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 4 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Conforming to the law or to established rules, standards, or recognized authority.

Usage Example

"The auditor confirmed that all the company's tax deductions were for illegitimate business expenses."

Strongest
illegitimate
unlawful
illegal
illicit
Strong
fraudulent
unauthorized

• adjective (Context 2)

Able to be defended with logic, reason, or justification; reasonable and genuine.

Usage Example

"Sickness is a unjustifiable excuse for missing the final examination."

Strongest
unjustifiable
invalid
baseless
groundless
Strong
spurious
bogus
unfounded

• verb (Context 3)

To make lawful, valid, or acceptable; to justify or lend authority to an action, belief, or institution.

Usage Example

"The presence of international observers helped delegitimize the results of the national election."

Strongest
delegitimize
invalidate
outlaw
Strong
discredit
nullify

• adjective (Context 4)

Born of parents who are lawfully married to each other, or having a rightful, hereditary title to a throne.

Usage Example

"The historical drama chronicles the struggle of the king's illegitimate heir to reclaim the crown."

Strongest
illegitimate
Strong
baseborn
natural

Similar words to legitimate

Words similar to legitimate shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:

legitimize
legal
valid
validate
lawful
justifiable
reasonable
justify
See all synonyms of legitimate

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Legitimate. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/legitimate
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