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

Back in 2024, Half Moon Bay city council approved the coastal permit and entitlements for the project. — Sooji Nam, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

That loyalty should be viewed as a privilege, not an entitlement. — Stephan Pechdimaldji, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

This has bred a culture of entitlement and an insatiable desire for the government to do more, while many demand to work less, if at all. — Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026

McCormick rejected that approach, finding that the pending Pennsylvania proceedings would not undo actions Barrow had taken in good faith or change the trust’s entitlement to distributions. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Oct. 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