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
Lessons to learn from Tuskegee Ladapo’s word choice also runs the risk of perpetuating the rightful mistrust that continues to exist in communities of color about vaccines and the American health system more broadly.
—
Stacie Kershner, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025
Within 30 minutes, Facebook users helped Davis track down the envelope’s rightful owner, according to an update within the post.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
So, when did Sebastian take his rightful place as the U’s biggest fan?
—Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
The man in the arena may not have been the tallest, but at AfroBasket 2025, Childe Dundão stood tallest of all, leading Angola to end a 12-year wait and return to its rightful throne as champions of Africa.
—Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Stacie Kershner, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025
Within 30 minutes, Facebook users helped Davis track down the envelope’s rightful owner, according to an update within the post.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
So, when did Sebastian take his rightful place as the U’s biggest fan?
—Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
The man in the arena may not have been the tallest, but at AfroBasket 2025, Childe Dundão stood tallest of all, leading Angola to end a 12-year wait and return to its rightful throne as champions of Africa.
—Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
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In all, more than 50 questions were posed by The Athletic subscribers, which might have taken me until retirement to answer with the deserved depth.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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The best part is its long and deserved reputation for reliability and ease of maintenance.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Generation Z is emerging as the most likely age group in America to see political violence as justified, new polling shows.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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So, Horn’s opportunity for activation seems muddled at best — justified or not.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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