right

adjective \ ˈrīt \

Definition of right

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

7 a :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

11 a :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

—

rightness

noun

See right defined for English-language learners

See right defined for kids

Examples of right in a Sentence

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?

Recent Examples of right from the Web

The trailer for season 3 just plunges right into things, with everyone on the razor's edge and loads more schemes underway.

— joshua rivera, GQ, "This Mr. Robot Season 3 Trailer Is Definitely Hiding Something," 31 Aug. 2017
And maybe Stafford’s not Tom Brady, which makes him a lot like pretty much every other good quarterback in the NFL—needing the right mix of coaches and players and system to succeed.

— albert breer, SI.com, "Lesson of the Week: Matthew Stafford Contract Extension Was Inevitable," 31 Aug. 2017
Who will ultimately be proven right could depend on Harvey’s final Houston death toll.

— Washington Post, "Harvey tests political opposites in Texas’ Abbott, Turner," 31 Aug. 2017
Dietzen started the final seven games last season and underwent surgery on his right ankle after the Cotton Bowl.

— jeff potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Isaiahh Loudermilk continues to progress at defensive end, wins spot in UW's rotation," 30 Aug. 2017
As much as summer vacation style is about the perfect sundress, finding the right shoe for the occasion is equally essential.

— maria ward, Vogue, "Kate Bosworth Just Might Be Italy’s Best Dressed Tourist," 30 Aug. 2017
There is nothing more right than for our community here and beyond to stand up, to show up, to speak up, to close arms around our children, who are American in every single way but one.

— alex harris and kyra gurney, miamiherald, "Miami leaders line up to support ‘Dreamers’ and ask Trump to do the same," 30 Aug. 2017
A key block for kill from junior Sam Juarez pulled the Bulldogs (4-3) within one point at 24-23, but right-side hitter Greer Griffin put down a Walden set for the winning point.

— rick armstrong, Naperville Sun, "Strong finish against Batavia bodes well for Gisela Bode, Waubonsie Valley," 29 Aug. 2017
Choosing the right details for winter Game of Thrones likely benefits by only recently having the White Walkers and wights come to the forefront.

— nathan mattise, Ars Technica, "An appreciation of Game of Thrones‘ White Walkers from a zombie diehard," 29 Aug. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of right

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

right Synonyms

Synonyms

accurate, authentic, exact, precise, faithful, strict, true, veracious

Synonym Discussion of right

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

right

noun

Definition of right

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

5 a :right hand 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

6 a :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

8 a 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

9 a :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

—

rightmost

play \-ˌmōst\ adjective

— 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

See right defined for English-language learners

Examples of right in a Sentence

We discussed the rights and wrongs of genetic cloning.
women fighting for equal rights
Knowing the truth is her right.

Recent Examples of right from the Web

Saving the farm As more Indian men migrate to cities for jobs, female farmers yesterday asked the government to honor their land rights and protect them from abuse.

— claire zillman, Fortune, "Ivanka Trump on Obama’s Equal Pay Rule, Venice Film Fest Lacks Women, and Female Farmers in India," 31 Aug. 2017
Because El-Atari is dead, Stone said using the tapes or transcripts of the conversation would deprive Torrez the opportunity to cross-examine the informant, which Stone said is a violation of his constitutional rights.

— jim newton, Lake County News-Sun, "Jailhouse informant evidence challenged in trial of man accused of killing Zion girls," 30 Aug. 2017
Those rights were often denied, however, through judgments by the U.S. judiciary.

— araceli cruz, Teen Vogue, "Mexican Repatriation During the Great Depression, Explained," 30 Aug. 2017
Civil rights groups filed two new lawsuits on Monday challenging Trump's ban.

— author: idrees ali, Alaska Dispatch News, "Mattis: Transgender members in U.S. military may serve until study completed," 30 Aug. 2017
No one can see it but everyone inside the Chargers’ new locker rooms in Costa Mesa knows it’s there – a giant ax right to swing down and chop the roster nearly in half.

— dan woike, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Bubble will burst for many Chargers after exhibition finale," 30 Aug. 2017
Maybe get Haden for a look at the right (read: minimum) price.

— dave hyde, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Hyde5: Browns cut Haden, Dolphins could use CB, but ...," 30 Aug. 2017
According to an OpinionWay poll published Wednesday, 68 percent of French people fear their rights will be less protected should labor rules be fixed at the company level rather than by law, as Macron intends.

— angeline benoit, Bloomberg.com, "French Bike Couriers Give Macron's Economy a One-Star Rating," 30 Aug. 2017
Both a federal judge and the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals did not agree with Rawls' contention that forcing him to unlock the drives amounted to a violation of his Fifth Amendment right against being compelled to testify against oneself.

— david kravets, Ars Technica, "Man in jail 2 years for refusing to decrypt drives. Will he ever get out?," 29 Aug. 2017

Origin and Etymology of right

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

right Synonyms

Synonyms

appanage (also apanage), birthright, prerogative

Antonyms

inequity, injustice, raw deal, wrong

Related Words

call, dibs, due, entitlement, perquisite, pretense (or pretence), pretension, privilege

Near Antonyms

disclaimer, quitclaim, release, waiver

right

adverb

Definition of right

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

6 a :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

See right defined for English-language learners

Examples of right in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of right from the Web

Oprah Winfrey would feel very much at home here right now.

— jennifer amur, Washington Post, "How Britain and the world mourned Diana, the ‘People’s Princess,’ over 8 days in 1997," 31 Aug. 2017
Natural products are the biggest source of growth for the industry right now, said McIntyre, who oversees research and development for PepsiCo’s snacks.

— jennifer kaplan, Bloomberg.com, "Organic Doritos Give Snack Giant a Way Into the New Whole Foods," 30 Aug. 2017
Natural products are the biggest source of growth for the industry right now, said McIntyre, who oversees research and development for PepsiCo’s snacks.

— Fortune, "Why Your Doritos, Ruffles and Funyuns Might Be Different at Whole Foods," 30 Aug. 2017
From Infrared to X-rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light, telling his readers right at the start that they are surrounded by his subject.

— steve donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, "3 science books compellling enough to speak to all readers," 30 Aug. 2017
So your gigantic challenge right now is NOT to stop obsessing over your ex.

— heather havrilesky, The Cut, "‘My Ex Ruined My Whole College Experience!’," 30 Aug. 2017
There was a protest in Srinagar and 15 guys were shot, and one of the guys who was shot was my neighbor and he was shot right outside our home.

— TIME.com, "Capturing Conflict, and Covering Home, in Kashmir," 29 Aug. 2017
ON TO KIZER Everything with Kizer is good right now.

— terry pluto, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Cavaliers trade with Boston Celtics, what happens next? -- Terry Pluto (video)," 29 Aug. 2017
Squier said that typical relief efforts including shipping non-perishables like water and canned goods are not practical right now, again because of the logistical problems.

— david sharos, Aurora Beacon-News, "Fox Valley groups look to help Hurricane Harvey victims," 28 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of right

before 12th century

right Synonyms

Synonyms

due, full, just, precisely, exactly, sharp, smack-dab, squarely

Antonyms

indirectly

Near Antonyms

circuitously, deviously, veeringly

right

verb

Definition of right

transitive verb

1 a :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

3 a :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

—

righter

noun

See right defined for English-language learners

Examples of right in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of right from the Web

A special law gives these forces wide ranging powers to search, detain and shoot at civilians, an authority that rights groups accuse the Indians of misusing—and one that has bred an atmosphere of suspicion among young Kashmiris.

— TIME.com, "Capturing Conflict, and Covering Home, in Kashmir," 29 Aug. 2017
The person said McConnell questions whether Trump is capable of righting his struggling presidency.

— alan fram, The Seattle Times, "Republican agenda threatened by Trump-McConnell feud," 24 Aug. 2017
The person said McConnell questions whether Trump is capable of righting his struggling presidency.

— alan fram, The Seattle Times, "Republican agenda threatened by Trump-McConnell feud," 24 Aug. 2017
The person said McConnell questions whether Trump is capable of righting his struggling presidency.

— steve peoples and alan fram, chicagotribune.com, "Trump-McConnell feud threatens Republican agenda," 23 Aug. 2017
Surgeons at the University of Michigan Health System were eventually able to right the ship during that initial emergency surgery.

— nick baumgardner, Detroit Free Press, "After nearly losing his leg, Grant Newsome is back to running at Michigan," 22 Aug. 2017
Since righting their financial fortunes following the bankruptcy years, U.S. airlines have invested heavily to spruce up their fleets and onboard amenities, particularly those targeting the big spenders who sit up front.

— Fortune, "Airport Dining Rooms So Fancy Not Even Business Class Can Get a Table," 16 Aug. 2017
But behind a pair of Texas A&M commits - seniors London Austin-Roark and Kaitlyn Rogers - the Kangaroos were able to right the ship and defeat the Colts 16-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-18 to give new coach Nicholas Gay his first win with the program.

— brian gosset, star-telegram, "Weatherford rallies to win volleyball season opener against Arlington," 8 Aug. 2017
This satire about a former president looking to right the wrongs of his administration premiered last year just as the Clinton-Trump debates were taking flight.

— whitney friedlander, Esquire, "Fall TV Preview: Your Complete Guide to the Season's Premieres," 4 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of right

before 12th century

RIGHT Defined for English Language Learners

right

adjective

Definition of right for English Language Learners

: morally or socially correct or acceptable
: agreeing with the facts or truth : accurate or correct
: speaking, acting, or judging in a way that agrees with the facts or truth

right

noun

Definition of right for English Language Learners

: behavior that is morally good or correct
: something that a person is or should be morally or legally allowed to have, get, or do
rights : the legal authority to reproduce, publish, broadcast, or sell something

right

adverb

Definition of right for English Language Learners

: in the exact location, position, or moment that is mentioned
: in a direct course or manner
: in a way that agrees with the facts or truth

right

verb

Definition of right for English Language Learners

: to make (something) right : to correct (something wrong or unjust)
: to return (something) to a proper state or condition
: to put (something or someone) back in an upright position

RIGHT Defined for Kids

right

adjective \ ˈrīt \

Definition of right for Students

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 :¹straight 1

a right line

—

rightly

adverb

—

rightness

noun

right

noun

Definition of right for Students

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

Definition of right for Students

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

Definition of right for Students

righted; righting

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.

Medical Dictionary

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

adverb

Law Dictionary

right

noun \ ˈrīt \

legal Definition of right

1 a :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

—

rightful

play \-fəl\ adjective

—

rightfully

play \-fə-lē\ adverb

— of right

1 :as an absolute right

2 :demandable or enforceable under the law

an appeal of right

Origin and Etymology of right

Old English riht, from riht righteous

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Synonym Discussion of right

right

Definition of right

rightmost

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Origin and Etymology of right

right Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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right

Definition of right

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First Known Use of right

right Synonyms

Synonyms

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right

Definition of right

righter

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RIGHT Defined for English Language Learners

right

Definition of right for English Language Learners

right

Definition of right for English Language Learners

right

Definition of right for English Language Learners

right

Definition of right for English Language Learners

RIGHT Defined for Kids

right

Definition of right for Students

rightly

rightness

right

Definition of right for Students

right

Definition of right for Students

right

Definition of right for Students

Medical Dictionary

right

medical Definition of right

right

Law Dictionary

right

legal Definition of right

rightful

rightfully

Origin and Etymology of right

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