rightful
Americanadjective
-
having a valid or just claim, as to some property or position; legitimate.
the rightful owner of the farm.
-
belonging or held by a valid or just claim.
one's rightful property.
-
equitable or just, as actions or a cause.
adjective
-
in accordance with what is right; proper or just
-
(prenominal) having a legally or morally just claim
the rightful owner
-
(prenominal) held by virtue of a legal or just claim
my rightful property
Other Word Forms
- rightfully adverb
- rightfulness noun
- unrightful adjective
- unrightfully adverb
- unrightfulness noun
Etymology
Origin of rightful
First recorded before 1150; Middle English; late Old English rihtful; right (noun), -ful
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the money originally came from a compromised account, the rightful owner will eventually flag the transaction as fraudulent.
From MarketWatch
Airport employees were quickly on-hand to return the animal to its rightful place in the great outdoors.
From Barron's
Hughes is happy “his” puck surfaced but believes he is the rightful owner of a piece of memorabilia that David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions, estimated might be worth $1 million.
From Los Angeles Times
It draws on core Shiite themes of martyrdom and resistance, reinforcing the image of the younger Khamenei as the rightful successor to lead the Islamic Republic.
Or maybe you worry that if the attorney exploits your relative and leaves them destitute, the rightful heirs will inherit little.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
