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
Around 60,000 of these were recovered in Germany and Austria at the end of the war and three-quarters were returned to their rightful owners or descendants.
—
Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
The preventive encumbrance can be lifted in seconds — but only by the rightful owner.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
This was another fates-or-hobgoblins turn of events, but many Americans took that profound luck as their rightful due.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Graham may have finally assumed her rightful place in the newspaper-movie canon, but we’re still left to ponder her absence from the most iconic journalism movie of the 20th century.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
The preventive encumbrance can be lifted in seconds — but only by the rightful owner.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
This was another fates-or-hobgoblins turn of events, but many Americans took that profound luck as their rightful due.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Graham may have finally assumed her rightful place in the newspaper-movie canon, but we’re still left to ponder her absence from the most iconic journalism movie of the 20th century.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightful
Adjective
-
Reed faced deserved backlash for cruel personal attacks, including fat-shaming comments about actress Melissa McCarthy, reflecting his intolerance for unconventional or avant-garde work.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
But the bigger purpose of this residency is to celebrate not just an album but a career that survived romantic breakups, solo stardom for Stefani, tentative reunions and now a deserved victory lap.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
While that number has been met with justified skepticism from most fans, there's apparently plenty of support within the sport.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
But policies that make the economy fairer for the populace are more justified than ever.—
Alexander Heffner,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightful. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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