rightly
Americanadverb
-
in accordance with truth or fact; correctly.
to see rightly; to understand rightly.
-
in accordance with morality or equity; uprightly.
-
properly, fitly, or suitably.
to be rightly dressed.
-
Informal. with certainty; positively.
I can't rightly say.
adverb
-
in accordance with the facts; correctly
-
in accordance with principles of justice or morality
-
with good reason; justifiably
he was rightly annoyed with her
-
properly or suitably; appropriately
rightly dressed for a wedding
-
informal (used with a negative) with certainty; positively or precisely (usually in the phrases I don't rightly know, I can't rightly say )
Etymology
Origin of rightly
before 900; Middle English; Old English rihtlīce. See right, -ly
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.
Though he does argue the 10-year is rightly higher because real, after-inflation, interest rates need to be higher in the long run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Your mother may rightly feel that, based on experience, people are waiting for her to slip up.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
"Quite rightly the markets reacted very negatively to that."
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
When she rebuffs him by calling him an animal, he smiles widely, showcasing fangs one could rightly describe as gorgeous, and coos, “We are all animals, my lady.”
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
Hrothgar was not able to remember rightly what happened then, nor exactly how he managed to escape with his life.
From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye
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.
