Synonyms
Examples of rightly in a Sentence
If I remember rightly, today is his birthday.
She rightly anticipated a decline in the value of the stock.
He points out, quite rightly, that there are flaws in the theory.
Many people, rightly or wrongly, believe the economy will soon improve.
She rightly admires his paintings.
People are rightly upset about the city's rising crime rate.
Quite rightly, the police commissioner is being blamed for the city's rising crime rate.
She is proud of her children, and rightly so.
Recent Examples on the Web
The true crime genre is undergoing a reckoning lately, and rightly so, but this three-part examination of how institutions fail victims represents what the genre can do when filmmakers cover their topics with care and empathy.
—
Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Biden’s boosters rightly argue that while Trump may have advantages in six of the seven states’ polls, the former President is statistically leading in just two given the surveys’ margin of error.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
But often, these kinds of shows don’t get second seasons because viewers rightly grow impatient.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
That includes the central duo’s interactions with other historical figures, such as Sir Francis Bacon (Mark O’Halloran), who rightly views Mary and George with suspicion.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Even a fraction of the high-level attention that Myanmar got during the Obama years would demonstrate to the country’s rightly frustrated people that American interest is genuine, long-term, and not just a fleeting diplomatic vanity project.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
All of that costs money, and that money rightly comes from the federal government.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
In any event, the title primes us for a tale of mythological resonance, and rightly so.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024
But if it was discovered later that the study was funded by the brick industry, the findings would be called into question—and rightly so.
—Johanna Herrmann, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Biden’s boosters rightly argue that while Trump may have advantages in six of the seven states’ polls, the former President is statistically leading in just two given the surveys’ margin of error.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
But often, these kinds of shows don’t get second seasons because viewers rightly grow impatient.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
That includes the central duo’s interactions with other historical figures, such as Sir Francis Bacon (Mark O’Halloran), who rightly views Mary and George with suspicion.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Even a fraction of the high-level attention that Myanmar got during the Obama years would demonstrate to the country’s rightly frustrated people that American interest is genuine, long-term, and not just a fleeting diplomatic vanity project.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
All of that costs money, and that money rightly comes from the federal government.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
In any event, the title primes us for a tale of mythological resonance, and rightly so.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024
But if it was discovered later that the study was funded by the brick industry, the findings would be called into question—and rightly so.
—Johanna Herrmann, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rightly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of rightly was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing rightly
Dictionary Entries Near rightly
Cite this Entry
“Rightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rightly. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
rightly
adverb
right·ly
ˈrīt-lē 
1
: in agreement with right conduct
2
: in the right or proper manner
3
: in agreement with truth or fact
More from Merriam-Webster on rightly
Nglish: Translation of rightly for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of rightly for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share