entitlement

noun

en·​ti·​tle·​ment in-ˈtī-tᵊl-mənt 

en-

1

a

: the state or condition of being entitled : right

b

: a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract

2

: belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges

3

: a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group

also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program

Synonyms

• subsidy
• grant
• allotment
• appropriation

Examples of entitlement in a Sentence

my entitlement to a refund

celebrities who have an arrogant sense of entitlement

entitlements such as medical aid for the elderly and poor

Recent Examples on the Web

Moreover, Southern California is a particularly attractive location due to entitlement challenges, land scarcity, proximity to ports and its dense urban population, all of which have fueled demand and fast rent growth. —Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2025

The interview is alternately boring and compelling, offering a glimpse into an insular world of privilege and entitlement. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2025

Fallon noted that a sense of entitlement ran through the entire organization — town cars were lined up around the block at the former Times Square office for anyone, including assistants, to use. —Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2025

Unlike The Beatles, Oasis arrived in the US with trademark sneering entitlement. —Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Legal Definition

entitlement

noun

en·​ti·​tle·​ment

1

: the state or condition of being entitled : claim

evidence of victim's entitlement to money seized

—National Law Journal

2

: a right to benefits that is granted especially by law or contract (as an insurance policy)

Note: Some courts have held that entitlements are a property interest and therefore subject to procedural due process under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution when denied by federal or state governments.

3

: a government program that provides benefits to members of a group that has a statutory entitlement

also : the benefits distributed by such a program