Definition

Noun Phrase 1. By title vested in yourself or by virtue of qualifications that you have achieved: Refers to a status, position, or recognition earned directly through one's own merits, efforts, or inherent qualities, independent of associations with others.

Usage

The phrase "in one's/its own right" is used as an adverbial phrase to modify a noun, indicating that the noun possesses independent worth or status. * It is almost always used with the preposition "in" (e.g., in her own right, in its own right). * It emphasizes that the subject's significance is not derivative but is legitimate and self-contained.

Examples

• She is a successful businesswoman in her own right, not just the CEO's spouse.
• The film is a classic in its own right, deserving recognition beyond its famous director.
• He became a respected scholar in his own right, building on but ultimately surpassing his mentor's work.
• While known for the hit single, the album is a masterpiece in its own right.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used with non-human entities (e.g., a book, a theory, a region) to assert their independent importance or validity.
• It often carries a nuance of correcting a potential misconception, asserting that the subject should be viewed separately from a more famous or dominant association.

Variants and Related Words

• Self-made (adj): Having achieved success or wealth by one's own efforts. (e.g., ). This is an adjective describing a person, while "in one's own right" is a phrase that modifies a status.
• Merit (n): The quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward. This is the core concept that "own right" implies.

Synonyms

• Independently
• By one's own merits
• On one's own account

Related Idioms

• Stand on one's own (two) feet: To be independent and self-sufficient. This idiom focuses on the state of independence, while "in one's own right" specifies the basis for a recognized status.
• A force to be reckoned with: Someone or something powerful that must be taken seriously. This idiom describes impact, whereas "in one's own right" describes the basis of authority or recognition.

Noun

1. by title vested in yourself or by virtue of qualifications that you have achieved
   • a peer in his own right
   • a leading sports figure in his own right
   • a fine opera in its own right