as in deserved
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
in light of her admission of having lied, the only rightful course of action for the governor would be to resign
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Recent Examples of rightful
Indicating that anything resembled the tactics and smears of the late senator from Wisconsin has been enough to suggest that such behavior was out of bounds, with no rightful place in our modern politics.
—
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
In the Scrubs revival, though, all that look-at-me energy is finally restored to its rightful purpose, and the effect is delightful.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
As someone who’s long had such a complex relationship with visibility, Gooding often wondered about his rightful place in Hollywood.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
But a legal maneuver finally gave them back their rightful name last year.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
In the Scrubs revival, though, all that look-at-me energy is finally restored to its rightful purpose, and the effect is delightful.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
As someone who’s long had such a complex relationship with visibility, Gooding often wondered about his rightful place in Hollywood.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
But a legal maneuver finally gave them back their rightful name last year.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
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Winners who submit correct answers will receive deserved newsletter fame on Friday.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
12 Mar. 2026
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However, Espanyol was on top and got a deserved equalizer nine minutes before halftime thanks to Kike Garcia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The former mayor also added no local government had done more than the city of Sacramento to address homelessness, though residents’ frustration is absolutely justified.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Once an investigation is complete, findings are typically forwarded to a district attorney, who determines whether the officer’s actions meet Oklahoma’s legal standard for justified use of deadly force.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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