by right
As legally entitled
By right means according to what is just, proper, or legally due: By right, the throne should have passed to his sister.
It often implies something is owed but not actually received: By right, that promotion was mine.
The phrase appeals to fairness or legitimacy rather than what has actually occurred.
- justlyWith fairness applied
- legitimatelyIn a valid way
- entitledHaving rightful claim
- deservedRightfully earned or warranted
- lawfullyIn legal compliance
duly · proper · claim · inheritance · birthright · legal · owed · merit · due · fairly · authority · privilege · ownership · warrant · sanction · just · earned · prerogative
by rightby chance
Occurring without design
by accident · arbitrarily · capriciously · gratuitously · undeservedly
by rightillegitimately
In unauthorized manner
wrongfully · by force · unlawfully · illegally · unjustly
right, rightly, rightful, rightfully, rights, righted, righting, righteous, righteously