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?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of right

as in redresses

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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

Min Aung Hlaing was inaugurated president in April following a general election judged by United Nations experts and rights groups to be neither free nor fair. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 While growing up, my mother would fight for our accessibility rights at school, after school, even at the doctor’s office. — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Illinois allows two years for state civil-rights complaints, while the LIG generally has just a year to initiate an investigation. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Stories of landlord and rental woes were shared this weekend at a rally in Edgewater to push for new renters' rights, which have remained unchanged for 40 years. — Mikayla Price, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026 Mendes’ project marks the first time that the Beatles and their estates have signed off on life rights and music for a theatrical feature film about them. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026 The Samish also never got the valuable fishing rights that most tribes in Washington state have, due to a clerical error at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. — John Ryan, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 The Coastal Commission is widely expected to take any adverse ruling to court, potentially arguing that the federal government can’t deny a state its fundamental rights — in this case, a say over projects that affect its economy — over politics. — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026 Matthews alleges the district violated his rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rights

Noun

She was sentenced to 12 months of probation and community service and lost her driving privileges in Georgia.

— Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Unlike all the other platforms, Windows apps generally run with all the privileges of the user, whereas other platforms encourage the restriction of the privileges of each application by default.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of privileges

Noun

According to a city news release, the agreement would resolve all civil claims tied to Jefferson's death and provide her family a measure of accountability.

— Doug Myers, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
These situations usually arise because there has been a failure to sit down with a liability insurance broker periodically and fully examine possible liabilities and whether coverage amounts are reasonably high enough to cover likely claims.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of claims

Noun

But my ultimate loyalty rests with the Constitution, which gives certain prerogatives to Congress.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of prerogatives

Noun

The genre, with its sanitized storylines and Oscar-baiting pretensions, seems fundamentally at odds with the iconoclastic chef and television personality.

— Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
Like Paul Schrader’s 1982 version of the latter, this is an upscale genre piece whose pretensions towards Art are upfront, starting with a quotation from no less than Schopenhauer.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026

Definition of pretensions

Verb

This reduces dependence on satellite navigation, improves resistance to electronic warfare, and enables attacks against discrete or moving targets such as ships, trains, and vehicles.

— Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Strengthening the core improves balance and stability, which supports movement and physical performance, experts say.

— Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of improves

Verb

This lessens the chance of fungal diseases and betters airflow and light exposure to all parts of the plant.

— Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 18 July 2026
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

Definition of betters

Verb

The product’s ceramide inclusion is also joined by skin care’s workhorse hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich vitamins C and E, plus sea buckthorn, which aids with brightening and thereby remedies dark spots.

— Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
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