right

1 of 4

adjective

ˈrīt 

1

: righteous, upright

2

: being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper

right conduct

3

: conforming to facts or truth : correct

the right answer

4

: suitable, appropriate

the right man for the job

5

: straight

a right line

6

: genuine, real

7

a

: of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body which is away from the side on which the heart is mostly located

b

: located nearer to the right hand than to the left

c

: located to the right of an observer facing the object specified or directed as the right arm would point when raised out to the side

d(1)

: located on the right of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified

stage right

(2)

: located on the right when facing downstream

the right bank of a river

e

: done with the right hand

a right hook to the jaw

8

: having the axis perpendicular to the base

right cone

9

: of, relating to, or constituting the principal or more prominent side of an object

made sure the socks were right side out

10

: acting or judging in accordance with truth or fact

time proved her right

11

a

: being in good physical or mental health or order

not in his right mind

b

: being in a correct or proper state

put things right

12

: most favorable or desired : preferable

also : socially acceptable

knew all the right people

13

often Right : of, adhering to, or constituted by the Right (see right entry 2 sense 7a) in politics

left and right political views

rightness noun

right

2 of 4

noun

plural rights

1

: qualities (such as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval

2

: something to which one has a just claim: such as

a

: the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled

voting rights

his right to decide

b(1)

: the interest that one has in a piece of property

—often used in plural

mineral rights

(2)

rights plural : the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature

film rights of the novel

3

: something that one may properly claim as due

knowing the truth is her right

4

: the cause of truth or justice

5

a

: right hand sense 1a

also : a blow struck with this hand

gave him a hard right on the jaw

b

: the location or direction of the right side

woods on his right

c

: the part on the right side

d

: right field

e

: a turn to the right

take a right at the stop sign

6

a

: the true account or correct interpretation

b

: the quality or state of being factually correct

7

a

Right : political parties and individuals who support and promote conservatism (see conservatism sense 1b)

—usually used with the

policies opposed by the country's Right

b

: the position of those who support the beliefs and policies of the political Right

the country's shift to the right

c

often Right : the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the section of the legislative chamber to the right of the presiding officer as a result of holding more conservative political views than other members

also, usually right : the section of the chamber they occupy

8

a

: a privilege given stockholders to subscribe pro rata to a new issue of securities generally below market price

b

: the negotiable certificate evidencing such privilege

—usually used in plural

rightmost

ˈrīt-ˌmōst 

adjective

right

3 of 4

adverb

1

: according to right

live right

2

: in the exact location, position, or moment : precisely

right at his fingertips

quit right then and there

3

: in a suitable, proper, or desired manner

knew he wasn't doing it right

4

: in a direct line, course, or manner : directly, straight

go right home

came right out and said it

5

: according to fact or truth : truly

guessed right

6

a

: all the way

windows right to the floor

b

: in a complete manner

felt right at home

7

: without delay : immediately

right after lunch

8

: to a great degree : very

a right pleasant day

9

: on or to the right

looked left and right

right

4 of 4

verb

righted; righting; rights

transitive verb

1

a

: to do justice to : redress the injuries of

so just is God to right the innocent

—William Shakespeare

b

: justify, vindicate

felt the need to right himself in court

2

: avenge

vows to right the injustice done to his family

3

a

: to adjust or restore to the proper state or condition

right the economy

b

: to bring or restore to an upright position

right a capsized boat

intransitive verb

: to become upright

righter noun

Phrases

by rights or less commonly by all rights

: with reason or justice : properly

in one's own right

: by virtue of one's own qualifications or properties

of right

1

: as an absolute right

2

: legally or morally exactable

to rights

: into proper order

Synonyms

Adjective

• accurate
• authentic
• exact
• faithful
• precise
• strict
• true
• veracious

Noun

• appanage
• apanage
• birthright
• prerogative

Adverb

• due
• exactly
• full
• just
• precisely
• sharp
• smack-dab
• squarely

Choose the Right Synonym for right

correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth.

correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.

correct answers

socially correct dress

accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.

an accurate description

exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.

exact measurements

precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.

precise calibration

nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.

makes nice distinctions

right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault.

the right thing to do

Examples of right in a Sentence

Adjective

You can't treat me like this! It's not right!

You were right to tell the teacher about the girl who you saw cheating.

Telling the teacher was the right thing to do.

“Is that clock right? Is it noon already?” “Yes. That's right.”

There's something not quite right about his story.

Their theory was proved right.

Let me get this right—you want me to lend you $1,000?!

You're right; the answer is six.

I bet you like baseball. Am I right?

Am I right in thinking that he should have never loaned her the money?

Noun

We discussed the rights and wrongs of genetic cloning.

women fighting for equal rights

Knowing the truth is her right.

Adverb

The keys are right where I said they would be.

“Where are my keys?” “They're right here.”

The bank is right next to the pharmacy.

The parking lot is right in front of the building.

He left his bags right in the middle of the floor.

She was waiting right outside the door.

The ball hit me right in the face.

We arrived right at noon.

You are right on time.

When the boss yelled at him, he quit right then and there.

Verb

It was time to right an old wrong.

No one can right all the wrongs in the world.

The government needs to do something to right the economy.

They righted the capsized boat.

He quickly righted himself after he fell off the chair.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

His exit from his government job meant the government no longer could use its watchdog to test him, right? —Philip Elliott, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024

So far that hits on multiple Hallmark holiday movie themes, right? —Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024

Noun

Finneas, a musician in his own right, is both Eilish's brother and producer. —Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024

The intervention came in response to a Deadline story, which explores how Rowling’s hardening rhetoric on transgender rights comes into conflict with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at Warner Bros. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

Adverb

Open your LinkedIn post with a line that hits them right in the feels. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Here’s a little experiment: Place a pencil on a flat table and then, taking your two index fingers, push from opposite sides, right at the center. —Rhett Allain, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024

Verb

In June of this year, Reyes righted the ship with a first-round knockout win over Dustin Jacoby. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

His decade-long presidency began with triumphs righting Peru’s economy and defeating a brutal insurgency only to end in autocratic excess that later sent him to prison. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English riht; akin to Old High German reht right, Latin rectus straight, right, regere to lead straight, direct, rule, rogare to ask, Greek oregein to stretch out

Noun

Middle English, from Old English riht, from riht, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

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

Adverb

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

Verb

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

Phrases Containing right

• a bit of all right
• air right
• all right
• all right already
• alt right
• as of right
• (as) right as rain
• a step in the right direction
• by right
• coming right up
• damn right
• dive (right) in
• dive (right) in/into (something)
• divine right
• do right
• do right by
• eat right
• far right
• get (something) right
• get/start off on the right foot
• have/get one's head (screwed) on right/straight
• heart is in the right place
• human right
• if looks could kill, I'd be dead right now
• if (my) memory serves me (correctly/right/rightly)
• in its own right
• in one's own right
• in one's right mind
• in the right
• (it) serves (someone) right
• just the right thing
• left and right
• left, right, and centre
• make someone feel (right) at home
• making all the right noises
• might makes/is right
• not in one's right mind
• not right in the head
• of right
• one right after the other
• only right
• on the right side of (an age)
• on the right side of the law
• on the right/wrong side of (someone)
• on the right/wrong track
• patent right
• play one's cards right
• property right
• push the right buttons
• quite right
• right and left
• right angle
• right-angled triangle
• right ascension
• right away
• right between the eyes
• right brain
• right circular cone
• right circular cylinder
• right-click
• right field
• right hand
• right-handed
• right-hander
• right-hand man
• right here
• right, left, and centre
• right-minded
• right now
• right of center
• right off
• right-of-way
• right on
• right on cue
• right shoulder arms
• right side out
• right side up
• right this second
• right-to-life
• right to remain silent
• right-to-work
• right triangle
• (right) under someone's nose
• (right) up/down someone's alley
• right whale
• right wing
• riparian right
• serve one right
• set (someone) right/straight
• stage right
• staring right at me
• step right up
• substantive right
• take the words right out of someone's mouth
• tell right from wrong
• the far right
• the right
• (the right of) first refusal
• the right stuff
• two wrongs don't make a right
• walked right into that one
• water right
• went/came (right) down to the wire
• when it comes (right) down to it
• when you come (right) down to it
• When you get right down to it
• writ of right
• yeah, right

Kids Definition

right

1 of 4 adjective

ˈrīt 

1

: righteous sense 1, upright

2

: following what is just, good, or proper

right conduct

3

: agreeing with facts or truth : correct

the right answer

4

: appropriate entry 2, suitable

the right person for the job

the right tool

5

: straight sense 1

a right line

6

: genuine sense 1, real

7

a

: of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body which is away from the side on which the heart is mostly located

the right leg

b

: located nearer to the right side of the body

the right arm of the chair

8

: being shaped in such a way that a line drawn from the middle of the top to the middle of the base is perpendicular to the base

a right cone

9

: being or meant to be the side on top, in front, or on the outside

landed right side up

right side out

10

: acting or judging in a way that agrees with truth or fact

time proved us right

11

: healthy in mind or body

did not feel right

12

: most worth having or seeking

the right neighborhoods

the right people

rightness noun

right

2 of 4 noun

1

: the ideal of what is just and good

2

: something to which one has a just claim

—often used in plural

the right to freedom of religion

the movie rights to a story

3

: something that one may properly claim as due

knowing the truth is her right

4

: the cause of truth or justice

fighting for right

5

a

: the right side or the part on the right side

b

: a turn to the right

take a right at the stop sign

6

: the quality or state of being factually correct

there's both right and wrong in that argument

7

often capitalized : the members of a European legislative body sitting to the right of the officer in charge and holding more conservative political views than other members

8

often capitalized : political conservatives

right

3 of 4 adverb

1

: according to right

live right

2

: in the exact location or position : precisely

right where you left it

3

: in a suitable, proper, or desired manner

hold your pen right

4

: in a direct line or course

go right home

5

: according to fact or truth : truly

guess right

heard right

6

: all the way

windows right to the floor

7

: without delay : immediately

right at 2 o'clock

8

: to a great degree : very

a right pleasant day

right

4 of 4 verb

1

: to make right (something wrong or unjust)

2

a

: to adjust or restore to the proper state or condition

b

: to bring or restore to an upright position

3

: to become upright

righter noun

Medical Definition

right

adjective

ˈrīt 

: of, relating to, or being the side of the body which is away from the heart and on which the hand is stronger in most people

her right foot

also : located nearer to this side than to the left

right adverb

Legal Definition

right

noun

ˈrīt

1

a

: qualities (as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval

b

: something that is morally just

able to distinguish right from wrong

2

: something to which one has a just claim: as

a

: a power, privilege, or condition of existence to which one has a natural claim of enjoyment or possession

the right of liberty

that all men…are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights

—Declaration of Independence

see also natural right

b

: a power, privilege, immunity, or capacity the enjoyment of which is secured to a person by law

one's constitutional rights

c

: a legally enforceable claim against another that the other will do or will not do a given act

the defendant may be under a legal duty…to exercise reasonable care for the plaintiff's safety, so that the plaintiff has a corresponding legal right to insist on that care

—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton

d

: the interest that one has in property : a claim or title to property

—often used in pl.

leasing mineral rights

see also real right

e

plural : the interest in property possessed (as under copyright law) in an intangible thing and especially an item of intellectual property

obtained publishing rights

3

: a privilege given stockholders to subscribe pro rata to a new issue of securities generally below market price

rightful

-fəl 

adjective

rightfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

Etymology

Noun

Old English riht, from riht righteous