Right — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun adverb verb /ˈrīt/

Meaning & Definition of Right

Right (adjective)

  1. righteous, upright
  2. being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper
  3. conforming to facts or truth, correct

Right (noun)

  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. behavior that is morally good or correct
  3. something to which one has a just claim

Right (adverb)

  1. according to right
  2. in the exact location, position, or moment, precisely
  3. in a suitable, proper, or desired manner

Right (verb)

  1. to do justice to, redress the injuries of
  2. justify, vindicate
  3. avenge

Right (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something to which one has a just claim

    "everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"

    similar: appanage, birthright, prerogative
    related: call, dibs, due, entitlement, perquisite, pretense, pretension, privilege

  2. an entitlement to something

    "what right do you have to tell us what to do?"

    similar: call, claim, dibs, pretense, pretension
    related: birthright, prerogative, title, favor, privilege, refusal
    near: disclaimer, quitclaim, release, waiver

  3. the practice of giving to others what is their due

    "activists who have fought all their lives for right"

    similar: equity, fair shake, justice
    related: equitability, equitableness, evenhandedness, fair-mindedness, fairness, impartiality, goodness, righteousness, virtue, honor, integrity, uprightness
    opposite: inequity, injustice, raw deal, wrong
    near: bias, one-sidedness, partiality, prejudice, unfairness, unjustness, wrongfulness, corruption, impropriety, crime, offense, wrongdoing, disservice, harm

Right (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. following an original exactly

    "a modern replica of an 18th-century British warship that is right in all of its details"

    similar: accurate, authentic, exact, faithful, precise, strict, true, veracious
    related: lifelike, realistic, careful, conscientious, meticulous, punctilious, scrupulous, authoritative, bona fide, genuine, real, veridical
    opposite: corrupt, corrupted, false, imprecise, inaccurate, inauthentic, inexact, loose, unfaithful
    near: careless, slack, slipshod, slovenly, erroneous, incorrect, invalid, off, unsound, untrue, untruthful, wrong

  2. being exactly as appears or as claimed

    "despite the name, New York's East River is a strait and not a right river"

    similar: authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum (Australian & New Zealand), echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real, sure-enough, true, for real
    related: actual, historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, very, accurate, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed
    opposite: bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal
    near: artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading

  3. being in agreement with the truth or a fact or a standard

    "the obvious answer is not always the right one"

    similar: accurate, bang on (chiefly British), correct, dead-on, exact, good, on-target, precise, proper, so, spot-on, true, veracious, on target, on the money
    related: legitimate, logical, sound, valid, errorless, faultless, flawless, impeccable, inerrant, infallible, letter-perfect, perfect, rigorous, strict, stringent
    opposite: false, improper, inaccurate, incorrect, inexact, off, untrue, wrong
    near: defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect

  4. being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong

    "trying to do what is right"

    similar: competent, condign, deserved, due, fair, just, justified, merited, rightful, warranted
    related: applicable, appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, meet, proper, requisite, suitable, lawful, legal, legitimate, accurate, correct, true, rhadamanthine, strict, stringent, uncompromising, equitable, impartial, square
    opposite: undeserved, undue, unfair, unjust, unjustified, unmerited, unwarranted
    near: incoherent, incorrect, irrelative, irrelevant, improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, indefensible, unjustifiable, unreasonable, unsuitable, biased, inequitable, partial, unequal, arbitrary, despotic, illegitimate, unlawful

  5. conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue

    "a right woman who did not hang around waterfront bars"

    similar: all right, decent, ethical, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, nice, right-minded, righteous, straight, true, upright, virtuous
    related: correct, decorous, proper, seemly, high-minded, noble, principled, commendable, creditable, exemplary, legitimate, esteemed, law-abiding, menschy, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy, blameless, clean, guiltless, immaculate, incorrupt, incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, unobjectionable, angelic, lily-white, pure, scrupulous, spotless, uncorrupted, unerring, goody-goody, moralistic, pharisaical, rectitudinous, sanctimonious, self-righteous
    opposite: bad, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong
    near: improper, incorrect, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly, corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, perverted, reprobate, unprincipled, unscrupulous, atrocious, infamous, villainous, base, low, mean, vicious, vile, blameworthy, objectionable, offensive, iniquitous, nefarious, errant, erring, fallen

  6. free from irregularities or digressions in course

    "the first city in America laid out with broad, right avenues"

    similar: direct, linear, straight, straightaway, straightforward
    related: unbent, uncurled, untwisted, undeviating, unswerving
    near: bowed, rounded, entwined, kinked, swirled, turned, turning, twined, twining, twisted, twisting, veering, warped, bending, coiled, coiling, corkscrew, curled, curling, curved, curving, looped, looping, spiral, spiraling, wavy, winding, meandering, weaving, devious, serpentine, sinuous, crooked, zigzag, zigzagging

  7. having full use of one's mind and control over one's actions

    "he hasn't been right since he suffered serious brain injury in the accident"

    similar: balanced, clearheaded, compos mentis, lucid, normal, sane, stable
    related: analytic, clear, coherent, logical, rational, reasonable, even-keeled, judicious, levelheaded, sensible, wise, healthy, sound, unneurotic, well-adjusted, well-balanced
    opposite: brainsick, crazed (sometimes offensive), crazy (usually offensive), daft (chiefly British, informal), demented, deranged (often offensive), insane, loco (slang), mad, maniacal, mental (sometimes offensive), unbalanced, unhinged, unsound
    near: bananas, batty, dotty, loopy, aberrant, delirious, disordered, delusional, delusionary, disturbed, eccentric, odd, oddball, off, pixilated, potty (chiefly British), queer, strange, foolish, senseless, witless, irrational, mixed-up, unreasonable, depressed, despondent, distracted, distraught, frantic, frenzied, hysterical, raving, wigged-out, amok, ape, ballistic, berserk, nuclear, fixated, monomaniac, monomaniacal, obsessed

  8. meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation

    "the right tool for the job"

    similar: applicable, appropriate, apt, becoming, befitting, felicitous, fit, fitted, fitting, good, happy, meet, pretty, proper, suitable, in order
    related: condign, deserved, just, justified, needed, required, requisite, able, capable, competent, cut out, qualified, trained, pitch-perfect, acceptable, adequate, decent, kosher, satisfactory, serviceable, tolerable, correct, decorous, respectable, seemly, balanced, companionate, congruous, consonant, harmonious, rightful
    opposite: improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, indecent, infelicitous, malapropos, misbecoming, unapt, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unfit, unfitting, unhappy, unmeet, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong
    near: incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, unqualified, unskilled, unskillful, untrained, inadequate, intolerable, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, graceless, incorrect, indecorous, incompatible, uncongenial

Right (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as stated or indicated without the slightest difference

    "stay right where you are"

    similar: due, exactly, full, just, precisely, sharp, smack-dab, squarely, on the button, on the nose

  2. in a direct line or course

    "walk right over here now"

    similar: dead, direct, directly, due, plumb, plump, straight, straightway, as the crow flies
    opposite: indirectly
    near: circuitously, deviously, veeringly

  3. to a great degree

    "a right beautiful day we're having!"

    similar: achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly, extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous (chiefly dialect), mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, very, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly, a lot, as all get-out, good and
    related: absolutely, altogether, completely, downright, entirely, flat-out, fully, positively, purely, radically, thoroughly, totally, utterly, wholly, deeply, profoundly, exceptionally, notably, remarkably, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially, appreciably, discernibly, markedly, noticeably, obviously, palpably, plainly, visibly, abundantly, plentifully, astronomically, grandly, monstrously, monumentally, excessively, obscenely, overmuch, amazingly, astonishingly, staggeringly
    opposite: little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
    near: meagerly, scantily, barely, hardly, just, marginally, minimally, scarcely

  4. without delay

    "we'll leave right after dinner"

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, presently, promptly, pronto, right away, right now, right off, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

  5. in a manner suitable for the occasion or purpose

    "you're not dressed right for an interview with a big-time law firm"

    similar: appositely, appropriately, congruously, correctly, duly, fittingly, happily, meetly, properly, rightly, suitably
    related: well, acceptably, adequately, passably, satisfactorily, tolerably, decently, decorously
    opposite: improperly, inappropriately, incongruously, incorrectly, unseemly, unsuitably, wrongly
    near: unacceptably, unsatisfactorily, inopportunely, unfortunately, unseasonably, inappositely, inaptly, irrelevantly, awkwardly, ungracefully

Right (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in redress

    similar: redress, blue-pencil, cut, shorten, ameliorate, better, improve, redraft, redraw, restyle, revise, rework, rewrite, perfect, polish, touch up, amend, correct, debug, emend, rectify, red-pencil, reform, remedy, fix, mend, repair, adjust, modulate, regulate, alter, change, modify
    opposite: damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, spoil, aggravate, worsen

Related Entry: Right now (adverb)

Right now is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right now, not for right.

  1. at the present time

    "right now we are in the middle of a major home renovation"

    similar: anymore, currently, now, nowadays, presently, today, at present, for the time being
    related: here
    opposite: before, formerly, long, once, then
    near: away, far, farthest, remotest, heretofore, hitherto, since, ago, previously

  2. without delay

    "answer my question right now"

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, presently, promptly, pronto, right, right away, right off, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

Related Entry: Right away (adverb)

Right away is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right away, not for right.

  1. without delay

    "you need to have this fixed right away"

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, presently, promptly, pronto, right, right now, right off, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

Related Entry: Right-minded (adjective)

Right-minded is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right-minded, not for right.

  1. conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue

    "a group of right-minded people working for social change"

    similar: all right, decent, ethical, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, nice, right, righteous, straight, true, upright, virtuous
    related: correct, decorous, proper, seemly, high-minded, noble, principled, commendable, creditable, exemplary, legitimate, esteemed, law-abiding, menschy, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy, blameless, clean, guiltless, immaculate, incorrupt, incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, unobjectionable, angelic, lily-white, pure, scrupulous, spotless, uncorrupted, unerring, goody-goody, moralistic, pharisaical, rectitudinous, sanctimonious, self-righteous
    opposite: bad, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong
    near: improper, incorrect, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly, corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, perverted, reprobate, unprincipled, unscrupulous, atrocious, infamous, villainous, base, low, mean, vicious, vile, blameworthy, objectionable, offensive, iniquitous, nefarious, errant, erring, fallen

Related Entry: Right off (adverb)

Right off is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right off, not for right.

  1. without delay

    "he had just gotten married when he was shipped right off to war"

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, presently, promptly, pronto, right, right away, right now, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

Related Entry: Right-of-way (noun)

Right-of-way is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right-of-way, not for right.

  1. the right to one's attention before other things considered less important

    "the bill for emergency aid was immediately granted right-of-way"

    similar: precedence, priority
    related: preference, urgency, ascendancy, preeminence, primacy, supremacy, transcendence, transcendency, order, progression, sequence, succession, front burner

Related Entry: Right-winger (noun)

Right-winger is a different word from Right. The synonyms below are for right-winger, not for right.

  1. a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are

    "a staunch right-winger who opposes, on principle, government social programs"

    similar: archconservative, conservative, paleoconservative, reactionary, rightist, Tory, traditionalist
    related: right, right-wing, conformist, neocon, neoconservative, diehard, standpatter, bourbon, Colonel Blimp, fuddy-duddy, square, stuffed shirt
    opposite: leftist, left-winger, lefty, liberal, progressive
    near: extremist, radical, red, revolutionary, revolutionist, reformer, reformist

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Right

The most common words with a similar meaning to Right:

Australian & New Zealand: dinkum
Chiefly British: bang on
Chiefly dialect: monstrous
appanage, birthright, prerogative, call, claim, dibs, pretense, pretension, equity, fair shake, justice, accurate, authentic, exact, faithful, precise, strict, true, veracious, bona fide, certifiable, certified, echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real, sure-enough, correct, dead-on, good, on-target, proper, so, spot-on, competent, condign, deserved, due, fair

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Right

Words with the opposite meaning of Right:

inequity, injustice, raw deal, wrong, corrupt, corrupted, false, imprecise, inaccurate, inauthentic, inexact, loose, unfaithful, bogus, counterfeit, fake, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal, improper, incorrect, off, untrue, undeserved

Related Words for Right

entitlement, perquisite, privilege, title, favor, refusal, equitability, equitableness, evenhandedness, fair-mindedness, fairness, impartiality, goodness, righteousness, virtue, honor, integrity, uprightness, lifelike, realistic, careful, conscientious, meticulous, punctilious, scrupulous, authoritative, veridical, actual, historical, original

Near Antonyms of Right

disclaimer, quitclaim, release, waiver, bias, one-sidedness, partiality, prejudice, unfairness, unjustness, wrongfulness, corruption, impropriety, crime, offense, wrongdoing, disservice, careless, slack, slipshod, slovenly, erroneous, invalid, untruthful, artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic

Word Forms of Right

Inflections: rights, righted, righting

Derived words: rightness (noun), rightmost (adjective), righter (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Right

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

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Right

Words & Phrases Containing Right

right now, right and left, right angle, right ascension, right away, right brain

Frequently Asked Questions about Right

What does "Right" mean?

"Right" means righteous, upright. As an an adjective, a noun, an adverb and a verb, it is defined as: righteous, upright. It has 17 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Right"?

Other words for "Right" include appanage, birthright, prerogative, call, claim, dibs, pretense and pretension. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Right" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Right"?

There are 472 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Right". Common alternatives include appanage, birthright, prerogative, call, claim, dibs, pretense, pretension, equity and fair shake.

What is the opposite of "Right"?

Antonyms of "Right" include inequity, injustice, raw deal, wrong, corrupt, corrupted, false and imprecise. Near antonyms include disclaimer, quitclaim, release and waiver.

How do you use "Right" in a sentence?

Examples of "Right" in a sentence: "everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"; "what right do you have to tell us what to do?"; "activists who have fought all their lives for right".

Is "Right" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Right" can be used as an adjective, a noun, an adverb and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Right" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Right" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Right"?

"Right" is pronounced /ˈrīt/.