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Definitions

rightful

[rahyt-fuhl] / ˈraɪt fəl /
ADJECTIVE
legitimate
Synonyms
STRONGEST
deserved lawful proper
WEAK
24-carat applicable appropriate apt authorized befitting bona fide canonical card-carrying condign due ethical fair fit fitting holding water honest just kosher legal legit merited moral moralistic noble official on the level on the up and up orthodox permitted principled real requisite right right-minded suitable true valid virtuous
Antonyms
WEAK
illegal illegitimate incorrect wrongful

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 • Mar. 25, 2026

Airport employees were quickly on-hand to return the animal to its rightful place in the great outdoors.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

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 • Mar. 18, 2026

This novel secured Pym’s rightful place in the British pantheon beside her beloved Jane Austen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

“If he has passed into your ownership, he will have to obey. If not, then we shall have to think of some other means of keeping him from his rightful mistress.”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling