right
right
Pronunciation
/raɪt/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
right:
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/aɪ/ - diphthong (as in "my")
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: right (e.g., "You have a right to remain silent.")
Plural: rights (e.g., "All citizens have certain rights.")
Adjective: right (e.g., "That's the right answer." This form doesn't change for singular/plural or other typical adjective inflections like comparative/superlative, though it can be used with them, e.g., "more right," "most right," but these are less common and sometimes debated.)
Adverb: right (e.g., "He stood right next to me." This form also doesn't change.)
Verb:
Base Form/Infinitive: right (e.g., "He wants to right the wrong.")
Third Person Singular Present: rights (e.g., "She rights the boat.")
Past Simple: righted (e.g., "He righted the overturned canoe.")
Past Participle: righted (e.g., "The boat has been righted.")
Present Participle/Gerund: righting (e.g., "He is righting the situation.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A morally or legally justified claim or entitlement to have or obtain something, or to act in a certain way.
Synonyms: entitlement, privilege, claim, prerogative, liberty, due
Antonyms: wrong, obligation, duty, prohibition
That which is morally good, just, or acceptable; adherence to ethical principles.
Synonyms: justice, fairness, goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue
Antonyms: wrong, injustice, evil, wickedness, immorality
The direction, side, or position that is opposite to left.
Synonyms: starboard (nautical), dexter (heraldry)
Antonyms: left, port (nautical), sinister (heraldry)
A blow delivered with the right hand, especially in boxing.
Synonyms: punch, jab, hook, cross, upper-cut (often specified by the type of punch)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a specific punch, but perhaps "block" or "dodge" as responses to a punch.)
Verb
To restore to a correct, upright, or proper position.
Synonyms: correct, straighten, set upright, rectify, fix
Antonyms: overturn, upend, capsize, tilt, skew
To correct a wrong or injustice; to make amends for a past error or grievance.
Synonyms: correct, rectify, amend, atone for, redress, vindicate
Antonyms: perpetuate, worsen, condone, exacerbate
To adjust or repair something to ensure its proper function.
Synonyms: fix, repair, adjust, calibrate, align
Antonyms: break, malfunction, damage, dislocate
Adjective
Morally good, just, or proper; in accordance with fact or reason.
Synonyms: correct, proper, appropriate, true, valid, accurate, sound, ethical, just
Antonyms: wrong, incorrect, false, improper, inappropriate, erroneous, unjust, immoral
Located on or pertaining to the side of the body or object that is typically associated with the stronger or dominant hand (for most people).
Synonyms: dexterous (referring to the hand)
Antonyms: left, sinister (in some contexts, though archaic for "left")
Correct, suitable, or desirable for a particular purpose or situation.
Synonyms: appropriate, suitable, proper, fitting, ideal, perfect
Antonyms: wrong, unsuitable, inappropriate, ill-fitting, imperfect
In a normal or healthy mental or physical state; sane. (Often used in phrases like "in one's right mind.")
Synonyms: sane, sound, healthy, rational, lucid
Antonyms: insane, mad, irrational, unwell, disturbed
Adverb
Immediately or directly.
Synonyms: directly, immediately, straight, at once, promptly
Antonyms: indirectly, later, eventually
Exactly or precisely.
Synonyms: exactly, precisely, accurately, squarely, just
Antonyms: approximately, roughly, vaguely
Correctly or appropriately.
Synonyms: correctly, properly, appropriately, well, truly
Antonyms: incorrectly, wrongly, improperly, badly
To a great extent; completely. (Informal, often used for emphasis.)
Synonyms: completely, entirely, fully, thoroughly, very
Antonyms: partially, slightly, hardly
In a direction towards the right.
Synonyms: clockwise (if turning), rightward
Antonyms: left, anticlockwise, counter-clockwise, leftward
Interjection
An exclamation used to express agreement, affirmation, or understanding.
Synonyms: okay, alright, yes, indeed, got it, exactly
Antonyms: no, wrong, incorrect, untrue
Examples of Use
Books:
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." This satirical line from George Orwell's Animal Farm (August 1945) implicitly challenges the concept of inherent "rights" and equality.
In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (July 1960), Atticus Finch continually upholds the "right" of every individual to a fair trial, even against societal prejudice.
Newspapers:
"The Supreme Court ruled that citizens have the right to protest peacefully, upholding a long-standing constitutional principle." (The New York Times)
"Efforts to right the struggling economy continue, with new policies aimed at job creation." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"Is renewable energy the right path for sustainable development in Africa?" (BBC News Africa online)
"The tech giant announced it is taking steps to right the data privacy issues identified in a recent audit." (TechCrunch)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Erin Brockovich (March 2000), the titular character fights for the "rights" of residents affected by contaminated water.
Television Series: "You're absolutely right, we should take the long way around to avoid traffic." (Dialogue from a recent episode of Succession, HBO)
Music: The song "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke (December 1964) speaks to the hope that societal wrongs will eventually be "righted."
Video Games: In many role-playing games, players often face moral dilemmas where they must choose between what feels "right" and what is expedient. (e.g., The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red, May 2015)
General Public Discourse:
"Everyone has a right to access quality healthcare, regardless of their income." (Heard in a public debate on healthcare policy)
"Turn right at the next intersection, then go straight for two blocks." (Common directional instruction)
"That doesn't feel right to me; I think we should reconsider." (A common expression of disagreement or unease)
"Did I do that right?" (A common question seeking confirmation of correctness)
10 Quotes Using Right
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in." (Abraham Lincoln, March 1865)
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." (Often attributed to Edmund Burke, though the exact phrasing varies) This quote implies that inaction allows evil to become right or unchallenged.
"Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts." (Bernard M. Baruch)
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." This quote, spoken by Neil Armstrong (July 1969), represents a moment where humanity took a decisive step in the right direction for exploration.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr., August 1963) This quote speaks to the fundamental right to equality.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." (Miranda Warning, originating from Miranda v. Arizona, June 1966)
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." (John F. Kennedy, January 1961) This quote suggests a shift in focus from what one is owed to what one can contribute for the greater right.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better." (Theodore Roosevelt, April 1910) This quote champions those who are doing and striving for what is right.
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." (Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1994) This emphasizes the inherent human right to love and compassion.
"The pen is mightier than the sword." This proverb (often attributed to Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1839) implies that intellectual discourse and the pursuit of truth can achieve more than force, leading to what is right.
Etymology
The word "right" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
In simple terms, "right" comes from a very old idea of straightness or directness.
Let's break it down:
The Deepest Roots (Proto-Indo-European): The journey of "right" starts with a reconstructed ancient language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE), which was spoken roughly between 4500 and 2500 BCE. The PIE root that "right" comes from is believed to be *h₃reǵ- (or simply *reg-). This root meant something like "to straighten," "to direct," or "to move in a straight line." You can see this idea in other related words in different languages, like the Latin rectus meaning "straight" or "correct," which gives us English words like "rectify" (to correct).
Moving to Proto-Germanic: From PIE, this root evolved into *rehtaz in Proto-Germanic, the ancestor of languages like English, German, and Dutch. Here, it already had meanings like "straight" and "morally upright" or "just."
Old English "riht": When we get to Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken from about the 5th to the 11th century), the word was "riht" (or "reht"). This is where we see the first recorded uses of the word in English, and it carried several meanings, all still connected to the idea of straightness and correctness:
Straight, not bent: This was one of its most basic meanings. Think of a "right line" as a straight line.
Just, good, fair: Because things that were "straight" or "direct" were often seen as proper or desirable, the word "riht" also came to mean "morally good," "just," or "in conformity with law." This is where our sense of "doing the right thing" comes from.
Proper, fitting: It also meant something that was appropriate or suitable.
Adding the Directional Sense: Interestingly, the meaning of "right" as the opposite of "left" (the direction) developed a bit later, around the early 12th century. This likely came from the idea that the "right hand" was typically the stronger or "correct" hand for most people. So, turning "right" meant turning in the direction of that "correct" or dominant hand.
In short, the word "right" started as a concept of "straightness" and "directness" thousands of years ago, which then expanded to mean what is "correct," "just," and eventually, the specific direction we use today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Right
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using the word "right":
All right: (Meaning satisfactory, permissible, or unharmed)
By rights: (Meaning according to what is proper or just)
Do right by someone: (Meaning to treat someone fairly or justly)
Get off on the right foot: (Meaning to make a good start in a relationship or activity)
Get on the right side of someone: (Meaning to gain someone's favor)
Go right over someone's head: (Meaning to be too difficult or complex for someone to understand)
In one's own right: (Meaning by virtue of one's own efforts or qualities, not because of someone else)
In the right: (Meaning to be correct or morally justified in an argument or situation)
Mr. Right / Miss Right: (Meaning the ideal romantic partner)
On the right track: (Meaning pursuing a course of action that is likely to lead to success)
Put things right: (Meaning to correct a mistake or improve a bad situation)
Right away: (Meaning immediately)
Right on! (An exclamation of strong agreement or approval)
Right up one's alley: (Meaning perfectly suited to one's tastes, skills, or interests)
Serve someone right: (Meaning to be a deserved punishment or misfortune for someone)
Set things right: (Meaning to correct a situation or restore order)
The right-hand man: (Meaning a person's most helpful and trusted assistant)
To rights: (Meaning thoroughly, properly, or in order)
Two wrongs don't make a right: (An idiom meaning that an evil act is not justified by another evil act)
With all due respect / with all due rights: (Meaning to respectfully disagree or express a contrasting view, while acknowledging someone else's opinion or position)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of right from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
