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
It’s been around since 1971 and has earned its rightful spot in Maybelline’s mascara Hall of Fame.
—
Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 18 Mar. 2026
Addressing a crowd of at least 100,000 on Budapest's Heroes' Square, Magyar charged Orbán's government with turning Hungarians against one another through propaganda and divisive policies, and of steering the country away from its rightful place among Western democracies.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Mar. 2026
McLendon-Covey did not take her rightful place alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper and Maya Rudolph when the Bridesmaids cast reunited on the Oscar stage to present the Best Score and Best Sound award.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
There has been plenty of rightful crowing about the quagmire that is college athletics, most of it directly traceable to the money – the death of senior night, overrecruiting, tampering, transferring and what can only be described as a nearly uncrossable chasm between the haves and have nots.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 18 Mar. 2026
Addressing a crowd of at least 100,000 on Budapest's Heroes' Square, Magyar charged Orbán's government with turning Hungarians against one another through propaganda and divisive policies, and of steering the country away from its rightful place among Western democracies.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Mar. 2026
McLendon-Covey did not take her rightful place alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper and Maya Rudolph when the Bridesmaids cast reunited on the Oscar stage to present the Best Score and Best Sound award.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
There has been plenty of rightful crowing about the quagmire that is college athletics, most of it directly traceable to the money – the death of senior night, overrecruiting, tampering, transferring and what can only be described as a nearly uncrossable chasm between the haves and have nots.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
-
That is definitely well deserved.—
Langston Wertz Jr,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Every award was absolutely deserved.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This Iran war was neither justified nor necessary.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The Ivorian’s fall was less pronounced than Cunha’s but no less justified, but no foul was given.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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