right

adjective

Save Word

\ ˈrīt

Definition of right

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : righteous, upright

2 : being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper right conduct

3 : conforming to facts or truth : correct the right answer

4 : suitable, appropriate the right man for the job

5 : straight a right line

6 : genuine, real

7a : of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body which is away from the side on which the heart is mostly located

b : located nearer to the right hand than to the left

c : located to the right of an observer facing the object specified or directed as the right arm would point when raised out to the side

d(1) : located on the right of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified stage right

(2) : located on the right when facing downstream the right bank of a river

e : done with the right hand a right hook to the jaw

8 : having the axis perpendicular to the base right cone

9 : of, relating to, or constituting the principal or more prominent side of an object made sure the socks were right side out

10 : acting or judging in accordance with truth or fact time proved her right

11a : being in good physical or mental health or order not in his right mind

b : being in a correct or proper state put things right

12 : most favorable or desired : preferable also : socially acceptable knew all the right people

13 often capitalized : of, adhering to, or constituted by the Right especially in politics

right

noun

Definition of right (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : qualities (such as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval

2 : something to which one has a just claim: such as

a : the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled voting rights his right to decide

b(1) : the interest that one has in a piece of property —often used in plural mineral rights

(2) rights plural : the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature film rights of the novel

3 : something that one may properly claim as due knowing the truth is her right

4 : the cause of truth or justice

5a : right hand sense 1a also : a blow struck with this hand gave him a hard right on the jaw

b : the location or direction of the right side woods on his right

c : the part on the right side

d : right field

e : a turn to the right take a right at the stop sign

6a : the true account or correct interpretation

b : the quality or state of being factually correct

7 often capitalized

a : the part of a legislative chamber located to the right of the presiding officer

b : the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the right as a result of holding more conservative political views than other members

8a often capitalized : individuals professing support of the established order and favoring traditional attitudes and practices and conservative governmental policies

b often capitalized : a conservative position

9a : a privilege given stockholders to subscribe pro rata to a new issue of securities generally below market price

b : the negotiable certificate evidencing such privilege —usually used in plural

by rights or less commonly by all rights

: with reason or justice : properly

in one's own right

: by virtue of one's own qualifications or properties

of right

1 : as an absolute right

2 : legally or morally exactable

to rights

: into proper order

right

adverb

Definition of right (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : according to right live right

2 : in the exact location, position, or moment : precisely right at his fingertips quit right then and there

3 : in a suitable, proper, or desired manner knew he wasn't doing it right

4 : in a direct line, course, or manner : directly, straight go right home came right out and said it

5 : according to fact or truth : truly guessed right

6a : all the way windows right to the floor

b : in a complete manner felt right at home

7 : without delay : immediately right after lunch

8 : to a great degree : very a right pleasant day

9 : on or to the right looked left and right

right

verb

righted; righting; rights

Definition of right (Entry 4 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : to do justice to : redress the injuries of so just is God to right the innocent— William Shakespeare

b : justify, vindicate felt the need to right himself in court

2 : avenge vows to right the injustice done to his family

3a : to adjust or restore to the proper state or condition right the economy

b : to bring or restore to an upright position right a capsized boat

intransitive verb

: to become upright

Other Words from right Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing right Learn More About right

Other Words from right

Adjective

rightness noun

Noun

rightmost \ ˈrīt-ˌmōst

\ adjective

Verb

righter noun

Choose the Right Synonym for right

Adjective

correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth. correct usually implies freedom from fault or error. correct answers socially correct dress accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care. an accurate description exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth. exact measurements precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation. precise calibration nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination. makes nice distinctions right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault. the right thing to do

Examples of right in a Sentence

Adjective You can't treat me like this! It's not right! You were right to tell the teacher about the girl who you saw cheating. Telling the teacher was the right thing to do. “Is that clock right? Is it noon already?” “Yes. That's right.” There's something not quite right about his story. Their theory was proved right. Let me get this right—you want me to lend you $1,000?! You're right; the answer is six. I bet you like baseball. Am I right? Am I right in thinking that he should have never loaned her the money? Noun We discussed the rights and wrongs of genetic cloning. women fighting for equal rights Knowing the truth is her right. Adverb The keys are right where I said they would be. “Where are my keys?” “They're right here.” The bank is right next to the pharmacy. The parking lot is right in front of the building. He left his bags right in the middle of the floor. She was waiting right outside the door. The ball hit me right in the face. We arrived right at noon. You are right on time. When the boss yelled at him, he quit right then and there. Verb It was time to right an old wrong. No one can right all the wrongs in the world. The government needs to do something to right the economy. They righted the capsized boat. He quickly righted himself after he fell off the chair. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective With that in mind, The Courier Journal offers its annual breakdown of why each horse can and can’t win the Kentucky Derby – many serious, a few tongue in cheek, one destined to be right and one destined to be wrong. — Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 3 May 2022 With that in mind, The Courier Journal offers its annual breakdown of why each horse can and can’t win the Kentucky Derby – many serious, a few tongue in cheek, one destined to be right and a bunch more destined to be wrong. — Jason Frakes, USA TODAY, 3 May 2022 But the Sheriff’s Office remains committed to doing the right thing on every occasion. — Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al, 1 May 2022 One of the darkest sagas in Dodgers history took a historic step toward closure Friday when baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred finally left the dugout and did the right thing. — Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2022 And the cases where there have been police convictions, have had (cell phone or police camera recordings) where the evidence was so overwhelmingly terrible that the jury ultimately did the right thing. — Cnn Opinion Staff, CNN, 28 Apr. 2022 Her confidence that the brush is doing the right thing never wavers. — David Salle, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2022 It’s not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing. — John Morgan, Forbes, 27 Apr. 2022 Raffensperger, who has previously proven his integrity in standing up to pressure from Donald Trump and Stacey Abrams, should do the right thing here and reject the challenge. — The Editors, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The group has 58,000 members and is adamant about its support for the right to choose. — Zach Everson, Forbes, 3 May 2022 Marine Le Pen fell short of her goal of attaining France’s highest office, but her campaign laid the groundwork for the far right to become an enduring force in French politics. — Matthew Dalton, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 Nevertheless, Piti, Antônio and their oldest children, Moisés and Francisco, pressed Brazilian authorities for the right to control how their locale's resources should be used. — Carolina Schneider Comandulli, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2022 Bibby wanted $2 million to sign Juice to Def Jam, but Rosenberg balked at the price tag; Victor instead set Bibby up with his lawyer and told them to shop the deal, asking for the right to match whatever offers came in. — Dan Rys, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2022 Estrada, a 45-year-old writer, poet and psychologist with a progressive muscular disease, is fighting for the right to die by euthanasia. — Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Georgia, After Selma recounts the courageous campaign of citizens and activists who faced violence and oppression in the struggle for the right to vote. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 19 Apr. 2022 But by the end of the process, only two companies competed for the right to develop Tailgate Park — the Padres partnership and developer Brookfield Properties. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2022 The Browns surrendered the 39th pick in the 2013 draft for the right to draft Gordon. — Scott Patsko, cleveland, 14 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb That's a whopping total of $450 off right there for you. — Kelsey Mulvey, Men's Health, 3 May 2022 The Panthers season could have fallen apart right there. — Tim Reynolds, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2022 Take your hat to Hoover for putting up a big inning right there. — Evan Dudley, al, 29 Apr. 2022 The idea is right up there with the myth that the United States is powered almost entirely by coal and that EVs are thus worse polluters than gas engines. — Roberto Baldwin, Ars Technica, 28 Apr. 2022 The truth of sketch comedy is right there in the name. — New York Times, 27 Apr. 2022 If not for the injury, Delpit might be right up there with fellow third-year safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who was picked a spot after him by the Bucs. — Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 26 Apr. 2022 But over the past five years, the local coffee scene has developed to the point where the city should be considered right up there with global coffee meccas like Melbourne, Seattle, and Portland, Ore., argues local entrepreneur Karim Hassan. — Rob Chilton, Time, 26 Apr. 2022 Yet the north, reached across the happy Ha’Penny Bridge, has come to life on its own, with a whimsical statues of Joyce right there on the main drag of O’Connell Street. — John Mariani, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax had lost Games 1 and 2, which seemed impossible, so the Dodgers turned to Osteen to right the ship against the Minnesota Twins. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2021 The 49ers had been hoping to build on the previous Sunday’s win at Chicago, to right the ship and get some momentum. — Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Nov. 2021 King was named interim coach after the Hawks fired Jeremy Colliton Saturday — three years to the day since Colliton’s hiring — to right the ship from a 1-9-2 start. — Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 7 Nov. 2021 Now the Hokies look to right the ship with a win over a feisty and capable Richmond Spiders team (2-1) in Week 4 of the college football season. — oregonlive, 25 Sep. 2021 Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers look to right their ship under the lights Monday night against a division rival. — Zack Jones, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2021 Witt slid toward the line, made the stop and then tried to right himself to make the throw home. — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 9 Apr. 2022 Gustave, meanwhile, surrendered the lead two pitches into the fifth as Goldschmidt led off with a double and O'Neill roped a single to right that Avisaíl García overran -- a miscue that led to the ball rolling almost all the way to the wall. — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 Sep. 2021 Amir Garrett then struck out pinch-hitter Keston Hiura, but Peterson stole second and scored on Jackie Bradley Jr.'s single to right. — Rich Rovito, Star Tribune, 11 July 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'right.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of right

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for right

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English riht; akin to Old High German reht right, Latin rectus straight, right, regere to lead straight, direct, rule, rogare to ask, Greek oregein to stretch out

Noun

Middle English, from Old English riht, from riht, adjective

Learn More About right

From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near right

Righi-Leduc effect

right

right-about

Statistics for right

Last Updated

5 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Right.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right. Accessed 16 May. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for right

right

adjective

\ ˈrīt

Kids Definition of right

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : following or in accordance with what is just, good, or proper It's not right to lie.

2 : accurate, correct That's the right answer.

3 : suitable, appropriate He's the right person for the job.

4 : located on the side of the body away from the heart the right arm

5 : located nearer to the right side of the body than to the left the chair's right arm

6 : being or meant to be the side on top, in front, or on the outside The box landed right side up. Turn the socks right side out.

7 : in a normal or healthy state or condition I don't feel right today. That milk doesn't smell right.

8 : straight entry 1 sense 1 a right line

right

noun

Kids Definition of right (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : the ideal of what is just, good, or proper He hasn't learned right from wrong.

2 : something to which a person has a just claim the right to vote He has a right to be angry.

3 : the cause of truth or justice They fought for right.

4 : the right side : a part or location that is on or toward the right side My house is on the right.

right

adverb

Kids Definition of right (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : according to what is just, good, or proper She lives right.

2 : in the exact location, position, or moment : precisely It's right where you left it.

3 : in a direct line or course : straight Come right home.

4 : according to truth or fact You guessed right.

5 : in a suitable, proper, or desired way You're not doing it right.

6 : all the way We stayed right to the end of the game.

7 : without delay : immediately Let's go right after lunch.

8 : on or to the right turn right

9 : in a complete way He felt right at home here.

right away

: without delay : immediately The movie started playing right away.— R. J. Palacio, Wonder

right

verb

righted; righting

Kids Definition of right (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : to make better or more just If only we could right the world's wrongs.

2 : to adjust or restore to a proper state or condition

3 : to bring or bring back to an upright position I righted the books.

4 : to become upright The ship slowly righted again.

right

adjective

\ ˈrīt

Medical Definition of right

: of, relating to, or being the side of the body which is away from the heart and on which the hand is stronger in most people her right foot also : located nearer to this side than to the left

right

noun

\ ˈrīt \

Legal Definition of right

1a : qualities (as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval

b : something that is morally just able to distinguish right from wrong

2 : something to which one has a just claim: as

a : a power, privilege, or condition of existence to which one has a natural claim of enjoyment or possession the right of liberty that all men…are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights — Declaration of Independence — see also natural right

b : a power, privilege, immunity, or capacity the enjoyment of which is secured to a person by law one's constitutional rights

c : a legally enforceable claim against another that the other will do or will not do a given act the defendant may be under a legal duty…to exercise reasonable care for the plaintiff's safety, so that the plaintiff has a corresponding legal right to insist on that care— W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton

d : the interest that one has in property : a claim or title to property —often used in pl. leasing mineral rights — see also real right

e plural : the interest in property possessed (as under copyright law) in an intangible thing and especially an item of intellectual property obtained publishing rights

3 : a privilege given stockholders to subscribe pro rata to a new issue of securities generally below market price

of right

1 : as an absolute right

2 : demandable or enforceable under the law an appeal of right

Other Words from right

rightful \ -fəl

\ adjective

rightfully \ -fə-lē

\ adverb