rightful

adjective

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right·ful | \ ˈrīt-fəl

Definition of rightful

1 : just, equitable

2a : having a just or legally established claim : legitimate the rightful owner

b : held by right or just claim : legal rightful authority

3 : proper, fitting assured of his rightful place in history— Brian Duff

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Examples of rightful in a Sentence

The property should be returned to its rightful owner. He will be given his rightful place in the history books.

Recent Examples on the Web While authors such as Lee and Ahdieh are putting characters of Asian descent in their rightful place in historical fiction, DeWoskin’s latest novel tells a World War II story many people might not know. — NBC News, "Novels set from the South to Shanghai detail unexpected dimensions of Asian American history," 19 Nov. 2019 And there’s no better illustration of God’s faithfulness than Jesus, who God promised to us from the fall of man to redeem us from the slavery of sin — and through His death and resurrection — to restore our rightful place as children of God. — The Rev. Bill Thomas, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Thomas: Be encouraged and persevere with the knowledge that God is faithful," 18 Oct. 2019 First, to restore women to their rightful place in the art historical canon. — Mattie Kahn, Glamour, "Judy Chicago Never Wanted to Have It All," 25 Sep. 2019 Now, after a series of seriously nautical photos, fans have once again begun advocating for Lizzo’s rightful role as Disney’s most glamorous villain. — Tess Garcia, Teen Vogue, "Fans Once Again Call for Lizzo to Portray Ursula in "The Little Mermaid"," 15 June 2019 The wali al-amr, or rightful leader, Mr Madkhali insists, is wali al-aqwa, the strongest one. — The Economist, "The battle for Tripoli could be decided by the Madkhalis," 14 Nov. 2019 Lawmakers from the majority party likened the move to a coup and voted to suspend him from office, appointing his one-time vice president as the nation’s rightful leader instead. ___ WHY DID VIZCARRA DISSOLVE CONGRESS? — San Diego Union-Tribune, "AP Explains: Peru’s chaotic power struggle in a nutshell," 1 Oct. 2019 Recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as Venezuela’s rightful leader, Guaidó began coordinating with the U.S., Brazil, and Columbia to provide humanitarian aid for the country’s impoverished citizens. — Michael Canyon Meyer, Outside Online, "The Murder of Venezuela's Visionary Adventure Guide," 24 June 2019 To create a rightful space where Black stylists, models, photographers, designers and more can be recognized for their trendsetting work. — Nandi Howard, Essence, "These Are The Winners Of The Best In Black Fashion Awards," 5 Sep. 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near rightful

right-hand convention

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Last Updated

8 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Rightful.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rightful?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=r&file=rightf01. Accessed 10 December 2019.

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More Definitions for rightful

rightful

adjective