rightful

adjective

right·​ful ˈrīt-fəl 

1

: just, equitable

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

ˈrīt-fə-lē 

adverb

rightfulness noun

Synonyms

• competent
• condign
• deserved
• due
• fair
• just
• justified
• merited
• right
• warranted

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

There is an ongoing legal dispute over who was the first to retrieve the ball and was the rightful owner before its sale. —Patrick Smith, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024

While space scientists today still argue about Pluto’s rightful place in the pantheon of planets—some say its geology is as rich as that of any planet—no one can deny its scientific intrigue. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Instead, the museum has filed a lawsuit against the Manhattan District Attorney seeking a declaration that the museum is the rightful and lawful owner of a headless bronze whose likely illicit origins have been documented in a major scholarly journal. —Patricia Failing, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2024

Building a New Framework for Trust Just as provenance preserves the value of a masterpiece hanging in the Met, Adobe’s Content Authenticity tool ensures digital assets retain their rightful place in the creative ecosystem. —Jamie Gutfreund, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

rightful

adjective

right·​ful ˈrīt-fəl 

1

: just entry 1 sense 2a

2

: having a just or legal claim : legitimate

the rightful owner

rightfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

rightfulness noun