RIGHTS Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

rights 1 of 2

noun

plural of right

as in privileges

something to which one has a just claim everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

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as in claims

an entitlement to something what right do you have to tell us what to do?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of right

as in redresses

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Dissimilar Words

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 rights

Noun

The move quickly set off a firestorm, with immigration rights advocates accusing DOJ of trying to malign a dead man. — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026 In The Origins of Woke, published not long after the HuffPost expose, Hanania took aim at decades’ worth of civil-rights law. — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 San Diego Pride’s own origins date back to 1974, when a group of people took to San Diego’s streets calling for gay rights. — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 But in a Hollywood where intellectual property rights rule most hits, Nolan turned one of the world’s oldest works of literature into an unlikely summer blockbuster. — Jake Coyle, Fortune, 19 July 2026 Telemundo’s rival, Univision, had held the rights to UEFA club competitions, with English-language rights currently held by CBS. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 19 July 2026 Instead, the division has brought actions against law enforcement agencies deemed to have failed to protect the rights of gun owners. — Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026 Host Peter Ruiz, who guides guests through their Cube experience, said that the company has the rights to all of the games from the television show, so games could be swapped out at any time. — Ryan P. C. Trimble, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 The package will also include the Spanish-language rights to UEFA’s Europa League, Conference League and Super Cup competitions. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rights

Noun

Children’s said that the plaintiffs were attempting to force it to stop granting admitting privileges to physicians who refused to offer gender-affirming care, which would ultimately harm patients.

— Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 15 July 2026
After that, driving privileges are terminated and drivers risk detention and deportation.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Definition of privileges

Noun

As many as 476,000 people a year in the US may be diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease, an estimate based on insurance claims data, as cases may be underreported.

— Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
The Department of Homeland Security has claimed that both of the drivers attempted to run over law enforcement agents, but has not provided evidence to back up those claims.

— Philip Wang, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of claims

Verb

There are so many reasons to be mad; the mostly baseless and endless attacks on higher education, the dismantling of life-saving research, ICE, the subverting of policy that redresses shameful social harms.

— Wendy Nelson Espeland, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
There are so many reasons to be mad; the mostly baseless and endless attacks on higher education, the dismantling of life-saving research, ICE, the subverting of policy that redresses shameful social harms.

— Wendy Nelson Espeland, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026

Definition of redresses

Noun

Exercising the prerogatives of citizenship meant a wearying, lifelong battle to mitigate harm—one that would invariably fail, as the experiences of one generation faded out of living memory and another one picked up the same arguments and same ideas to reconfigure them in new ways.

— Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
But the mother of congressional prerogatives (enshrined in Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution) is the power to declare war.

— Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 12 June 2026

Definition of prerogatives

Noun

At 61, unaligned to any party faction and with no pretensions to the highest office, the Scot would represent little threat to Burnham.

— Ian King, CNBC, 15 July 2026
The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.

— Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026

Definition of pretensions

Verb

Instead of retraining an entire AI model, which can be extremely expensive, the system improves performance during generation.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
As health alerts have been issued amid the wildfire smoke in New York and New Jersey, FIFA is not concerned about the impact of poor air quality on the World Cup final as the weather forecast improves, according to unnamed sources who spoke to ESPN.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of improves

Verb

If the Sharks make the playoffs next season and Celebrini betters his 115-point total from this season, wouldn’t his next deal become that much more expensive?

— Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Nothing betters the gift of time.

— Brie Stimson , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026

Definition of betters

Verb

Stay prepared for those just-in-case scenarios by stocking everything from itch creams and allergy meds to cold and headache remedies.

— Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
Alcohol and certain medications also raise susceptibility, including diuretics, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics and some cold and allergy remedies.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026