entitle

verb

en·​ti·​tle in-ˈtī-tᵊl How to pronounce entitle (audio)
en-
entitled; entitling in-ˈtī-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce entitle (audio)
-ˈtīt-liŋ,
en-

transitive verb

1
: to give a title to : designate
2
: to furnish with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something
this ticket entitles the bearer to free admission

Examples of entitle in a Sentence

He entitled his book “My Life on Mars.” the card entitles my grandmother to the discount for senior citizens
Recent Examples on the Web The Alabama state Supreme Court ruled last month that embryos used in IVF are children and are entitled to legal protections under the state’s wrongful death law. Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 The bill could violate Americans’ First Amendment rights by denying them access to information they are entitled to have, Massie said. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Former employees recall that in a meeting and subsequent memo, Huffman described his detractors’ behavior as entitled and ungrateful, and told them to come to him privately with criticism. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 In October, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that an employee who is indefinitely furloughed is entitled to immediate payment of the value of unused vacation time. Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 The agency could automatically amend tax returns for individuals who would be newly eligible for the credit or entitled to a larger payment. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 On March 6 the stylist dressed Schafer in a Japonisme skirt-suit from Prada’s spring-summer 2013 collection at a pre-Oscars celebration in Los Angeles, entitled Vanities: A Night for Young Hollywood. Daniel Rodgers, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024 Should SpaceX be found in violation of labor laws, damages typically aren’t high in these kinds of cases: Employees are usually entitled to back pay as well as reinstatement if the NLRB wins its case. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Their editors have struggled to balance their zeal for covering the royals — an almost boundless enthusiasm, in the case of a future queen once known as Kate Middleton — with a recognition that even most public figures in Britain are generally entitled to privacy in matters of health. Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entitle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French entitler, from Late Latin intitulare, from Latin in- + titulus title

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of entitle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near entitle

Cite this Entry

“Entitle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitle. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

entitle

verb
en·​ti·​tle in-ˈtīt-ᵊl How to pronounce entitle (audio)
entitled; entitling -ˈtīt-liŋ How to pronounce entitle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to give a title to
2
: to give a right to : qualify
the card entitles us to a discount
entitlement
-ᵊl-mənt
noun

Legal Definition

entitle

transitive verb
en·​ti·​tle
entitled; entitling
: to give an enforceable right to claim something

More from Merriam-Webster on entitle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!