as in cash
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment
coins and bills are considered legal tender, but postage stamps are not
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legal tender
World & Nation How a California surfer helped bring bitcoin to El Salvador
June 22, 2021
There were street protests when the Congress made bitcoin legal tender in June 2021, though that move was not the only motivation for the protesters.
—
Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
The slow but steady march of crypto products into mainstream financial systems — El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 — has piqued broader interest in the subject.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024
Countries like El Salvador and regions with economic instability increasingly turn to bitcoin as legal tender or reserve asset.
—Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
In June 2019, the government recognized the RTGS dollar as legal tender and rechristened it the new Zimbabwean dollar, while at the same time barring the use of the U.S. dollar.
—Tendai Biti, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2019
See all Example Sentences for legal tender 
Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
The slow but steady march of crypto products into mainstream financial systems — El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 — has piqued broader interest in the subject.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024
Countries like El Salvador and regions with economic instability increasingly turn to bitcoin as legal tender or reserve asset.
—Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
In June 2019, the government recognized the RTGS dollar as legal tender and rechristened it the new Zimbabwean dollar, while at the same time barring the use of the U.S. dollar.
—Tendai Biti, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2019
See all Example Sentences for legal tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legal tender
Noun
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At Marathon, Elliott helped facilitate the addition of a new director, transition to a new CEO, closure of the gap in per barrel EBITDA with VLO, retirement of 50% of its shares outstanding since 2021, and sale of the Speedway retail operation for $17 billion in after-tax cash proceeds.—
Kenneth Squire,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2025
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Past leaders left us with underfunded pensions, reckless borrowing and asset sales that prioritized short-term cash over long-term stability.—
Bill Conway,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But professional and personal challenges preceded the LP's success: In 1998, the Backstreet Boys left their management group and were entangled in a lawsuit with businessman Lou Pearlman over the amount of money earned for their first two albums.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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It was set up in 2010, to locate money stolen by kleptocrats and return it to their victims.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Coining a Malady Ancient Greeks made their coins by extracting silver from lead-rich ore.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
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Canada stopped making pennies in 2012, and Australia stopped circulating one- and two-cent coins back in 1992.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA TODAY,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That’s due to the impact of tariffs on the U.S. dollar and other global currencies.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
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Digital currency exchange Coinbase is slated to report earnings later Thursday.—
Medora Lee,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Legal tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legal%20tender. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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