rightful

adjective

right·​ful ˈrīt-fəl How to pronounce rightful (audio)
Synonyms of rightfulnext
1
2
a
: having a just or legally established claim : legitimate
the rightful owner
b
: held by right or just claim : legal
rightful authority
3
: proper, fitting
… assured of his rightful place in history …Brian Duff
rightfully adverb
rightfulness noun

Examples of rightful in a Sentence

The property should be returned to its rightful owner. He will be given his rightful place in the history books.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The recovered birds were taken to a secure loft near Brussels, overseen by Belgium's national pigeon federation, and police arranged for DNA testing to match each bird to its rightful owner since the identification rings on all the pigeon's legs had been snipped off. Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026 In addition to serving on boards of the state’s two largest public pension funds, the controller is in charge of unclaimed property reported to the state and works to get those assets back to its rightful owners. William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026 He is later suspected of treason when a petition alleges that he had been declared the rightful king by his armorer. Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026 The collection, worth millions, comprises some 1,500 oil paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Peter Paul Rubens, though their rightful owners remain unknown. Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rightful

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rightful was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Rightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rightful. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

rightful

adjective
right·​ful ˈrīt-fəl How to pronounce rightful (audio)
1
2
: having a just or legal claim : legitimate
the rightful owner
rightfully adverb
rightfulness noun

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