Phrase guide

dead to rights

adv · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • have someone dead to rights on something
  • Because of the video replay, the ref had him dead to rights on the penalty.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bang to rights, red-handed, blameworthily, compunctiously, dead to rights, guiltylike, guiltily, nocently, red-handedly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

US, 1854, originally New York City criminal slang, thence entered general use. dead (“completely, utterly”) + to rights (“properly”).