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
This retelling of the American narrative puts women in their rightful place on the pages of history.
—
CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The trouser jeans from Rebecca Minkoff’s exclusive collection at QVC have earned that rightful spot in my lineup.
—Ali Faccenda, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
The 7-foot-3 center who met all the necessary criteria, and a whole lot more, took his rightful place among the Huskies of Honor at UConn.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
Space resources are extracted from their rightful owner, ALL Texans.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The trouser jeans from Rebecca Minkoff’s exclusive collection at QVC have earned that rightful spot in my lineup.
—Ali Faccenda, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
The 7-foot-3 center who met all the necessary criteria, and a whole lot more, took his rightful place among the Huskies of Honor at UConn.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
Space resources are extracted from their rightful owner, ALL Texans.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
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The youthful line-up paid off with a deserved 2-1 victory.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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In a business that loves a great origin story, Merino’s is refreshing as an outsider who has taken a very deserved seat at the Hollywood table.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Sweet Venus enters your thoughtful sign, empowering you with justified confidence in your powers of attraction.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Feb. 2026
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The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment, but officials there have broadly defended the department’s actions as not only justified but necessary for ensuring the rule of law and holding alleged criminals to account.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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