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
In this case, the property should remain in the place it was left so it can be found by the rightful owner.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2025
The main character of an upcoming DC Universe movie, Kara is the extraterrestrial cousin to Superman, rightful owner of the wily super-dog Krypto — and, as the Man of Steel and his robot friend Four (voiced by Alan Tudyk) establish, a party animal.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 11 July 2025
Russia has never stopped seeing itself as a major player in international diplomacy, with a rightful place at the top table alongside the US and China.
—Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
As one of only five Black women to lead a billion-dollar company, Weaver’s work not only preserves the legacy of Nearest Green—the formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill—but reclaims a rightful place for Black craftsmanship and entrepreneurship in the American narrative.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2025
The main character of an upcoming DC Universe movie, Kara is the extraterrestrial cousin to Superman, rightful owner of the wily super-dog Krypto — and, as the Man of Steel and his robot friend Four (voiced by Alan Tudyk) establish, a party animal.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 11 July 2025
Russia has never stopped seeing itself as a major player in international diplomacy, with a rightful place at the top table alongside the US and China.
—Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
As one of only five Black women to lead a billion-dollar company, Weaver’s work not only preserves the legacy of Nearest Green—the formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill—but reclaims a rightful place for Black craftsmanship and entrepreneurship in the American narrative.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
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But there’s another aspect of military life that rarely gets deserved attention: the relentless cycle of relocation.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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More Antonio Masiello/Getty Images Regarding that deserved disrepute, the specifics of this new raid are startling.—
Steve Cortes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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But the common strand in their brutal methodology was the Marxist conviction that violence is a necessary and justified catalyst of change.—
Katja Hoyer,
semafor.com,
19 July 2025
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To convert justified public frustration into a license for withdrawal.—
Noliwe Rooks,
Time,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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