The property should be returned to its rightful owner.
He will be given his rightful place in the history books.
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Reid, for all intents and purposes, casts the fictional league’s commissioner as the rightful big bad villain of Shane and Ilya’s story.—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 Patrick Mahomes’ recent record-setting extension with the Kansas City Chiefs propelled him to the top of the NFL market, a rightful place for someone who has spent the past seven years as a Tier 1 selection in The Athletic’s annual Quarterback Tiers produced by Mike Sando.—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 12 June 2026 There’s much to love about cottonwood trees and their rightful place in our natural environment, such as along the Des Plaines River at Ryerson, Wright and Half Day Woods in Lake County.—Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026 The state holds the funds indefinitely until they’re claimed by their rightful owners (or heirs).—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rightful
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of rightful was
before the 12th century