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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rightful
Here, a Nollywood epic can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hollywood, not as niche, but as art that demands its rightful spotlight.
—
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 May 2025
But still many within the whitetail world (including Deer & Deer Hunting contributor Duncan Dobie) think the King Buck is the rightful world record.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2025
Protecting democracy begins with standing firmly with David Hogg in his rightful role.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Items left behind at security checkpoints are held by TSA for a minimum of 30 days or until the item has been returned to its rightful owner.
—Stacey Lastoe, AFAR Media, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 May 2025
But still many within the whitetail world (including Deer & Deer Hunting contributor Duncan Dobie) think the King Buck is the rightful world record.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2025
Protecting democracy begins with standing firmly with David Hogg in his rightful role.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Items left behind at security checkpoints are held by TSA for a minimum of 30 days or until the item has been returned to its rightful owner.
—Stacey Lastoe, AFAR Media, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
-
Anyway, here’s what got the most deserved laughter this week in late night.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
6 June 2025
-
As living things, fresh blooms have developed a (deserved) reputation for being fussy.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
The justified accusation that the carbon footprint of a child from a rich nation was gigantic compared to that of a child from a poorer nation (except those from elite families) thickening the political smog obscuring the raw ecological toll of adding eighty million a year to the human population.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2025
-
Penalized For all the justified focus on the offense, the Padres’ season has largely been a tale of two bullpens.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share