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
Moreover, either formal international recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela's rightful president-elect—the winer of the 2024 election that Maduro stole—or a clear timetable for free and fair presidential elections is essential.
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Boris Muñoz, Time, 12 Jan. 2026
Candiace is thrilled to take her rightful place as a main character.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Now, dealing with the same agent, there is rightful questioning about if the Pickens negotiation could follow the same trajectory.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
Trump in remarks before a House Republican retreat in Washington grumbled that Democrats were not giving him credit for a successful military operation, even though there was bipartisan agreement that Maduro was not the rightful president of Venezuela.
—Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Boris Muñoz, Time, 12 Jan. 2026
Candiace is thrilled to take her rightful place as a main character.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Now, dealing with the same agent, there is rightful questioning about if the Pickens negotiation could follow the same trajectory.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
Trump in remarks before a House Republican retreat in Washington grumbled that Democrats were not giving him credit for a successful military operation, even though there was bipartisan agreement that Maduro was not the rightful president of Venezuela.
—Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
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Winners who submit correct answers will receive deserved newsletter fame on Friday.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
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After years of deserved criticism for less-than-dynamic ownership and middling budgets, Ricketts should get a rousing ovation at the team’s fan convention Thursday.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Regulators, however, currently have no authority to include affiliates’ financial records when determining whether the rate hikes are justified.—
Ron Hurtibise,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
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According to Dumas, whether justified or not, confidence sustains effort long enough for skill and clarity to catch up.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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