| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | allowable, permissible |
| Synonyms: | acknowledged, allowed, authorized, card-carrying, chartered, clean*, condign, constitutional, contractual, decreed, due, enforced, enforcible, enjoined, fair, forensic, granted, innocent, judged, judicial, juridical, just, justifiable, justified, lawful, legalized, legit, legitimate, licit, on the level, on the up and up, ordained, passed, precedented, prescribed, proper, protected, right, rightful, sanctioned, sound, statutory, straight, sure enough, valid, warranted, within the law |
| Notes: | lawful means allowed by law while legal means of or relating to or concerned with law |
| Antonyms: | illegal, illegitimate, illicit, unlawful, wrong |
| Main Entry: | allowable |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | permissible |
| Synonyms: | acceptable, admissible, legal, legitimate, proper |
| Antonyms: | impermissible, prohibited |
| Main Entry: | authoritative |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | official, authorized |
| Synonyms: | administrative, approved, bureaucratic, canonical, departmental, ex cathedra, ex officio, executive, imperial, lawful, legal, legitimate, magisterial, mandatory, ruling, sanctioned, sovereign, supreme |
| Notes: | authoritarian is tyrannical while authoritative commands respect |
| Antonyms: | democratic |
| Main Entry: | authorized |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | approved |
| Synonyms: | accredited, certified, commissioned, lawful, legal, legitimate, licensed, licit, official, recognized, sanctioned, warranted |
| Antonyms: | unofficial |
| Main Entry: | canonical |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | accepted, recognized |
| Synonyms: | approved, authoritative, authorized, lawful, legal, official, orthodox, received, sanctioned, sound, statutory |
| Antonyms: | unacceptable, unauthorized, uncanonical, unorthodox, unrecognized, unsanctioned |
| Main Entry: | constitutional |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | provided for by law |
| Synonyms: | approved, chartered, democratic, ensured, lawful, legal, representative, statutory, vested |
| Main Entry: | effectual |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | influential; authoritative |
| Synonyms: | accomplishing, achieving, adequate, binding, capable, conclusive, decisive, determinative, effecting, effective, efficacious, efficient, forcible, fulfilling, in force, lawful, legal, licit, potent, powerful, practicable, productive, qualified, serviceable, sound, strong, successful, telling, useful, valid, virtuous, workable |
| Notes: | effective means 'having a (desired) result or effect,' effectual is 'succeeding in producing a desired result or effect,' and efficacious means the same as effectual as well as 'serving as an effective solution or remedy' |
| Antonyms: | impotent, incapable, ineffectual, unproductive, unsuccessful, useless, weak |
| Main Entry: | formal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | established, orderly |
| Synonyms: | academic, approved, ceremonial, ceremonialistic, ceremonious, confirmed, conventional, decorous, directed, explicit, express, fixed, formalistic, lawful, legal, methodical, official, precise, prescribed, pro forma, proper, punctilious, regular, rigid, ritual, ritualistic, set, solemn, stately, stereotyped, stereotypical, strict, systematic |
| Antonyms: | disorderly, informal, relaxed |
| Main Entry: | innocent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | blameless |
| Synonyms: | above suspicion, angelic, chaste, clean, cleanhanded, clear, crimeless, exemplary, faultless, free of, good, guilt-free, guiltless, honest, immaculate, impeccable, impeccant, in the clear, inculpable, irreproachable, lawful, legal, legitimate, licit, not guilty, pristine, pure, righteous, safe, sinless, spotless, stainless, unblemished, uncensurable, uncorrupt, unimpeachable, uninvolved, unoffending, unsullied, untainted, upright, virginal, virtuous |
| Antonyms: | bad, blamable, corrupt, evil, guilty, sinful |