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 of entitlement

• 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

Moore breathes life into Mona, but manages to intertwine a sense of entitlement that nods to her former life as traditional housewife. — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026

Similarly, Zo — seen recently as the monster hunter in Na Hong-jin’s delirious sci-fi action epic, Hope — stays for most of the running time just the right side of smug entitlement. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026

All the austerity options—cutting spending, reforming entitlements, or raising taxes are measures politicians are reluctant to embrace before an election. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Jealousy and entitlement steer the actions of middling white writer June Hayward, who brazenly steals the manuscript of her much more talented friend, Chinese-American author, Athena Liu, after being the sole witness to Athena’s death. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

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