privileged

adjective

priv·​i·​leged ˈpriv-lijd 

ˈpri-və-

1

: having or enjoying one or more privileges

privileged classes

2

: not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance

especially : not subject to disclosure in a court of law

a privileged communication

Examples of privileged in a Sentence

He comes from a very privileged background.

The town attracts people who are wealthy and privileged.

The President's adviser has a privileged position of trust.

She had privileged access to the files.

Only the privileged few can become members of the club.

Recent Examples on the Web

Businesses use it generally for employee login verification, password resets, remote access authentication and to allow privileged access. — Justin Zacks, CNBC, 21 July 2026

People who manage such rises are typically intellectual sponges, hoovering up knowledge to make up ground on more privileged classmates. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

The point is being absorbed into the natural beauty and the priceless peace and quiet of this privileged spot. — Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

After a reboot, a receiver can restart the malware and reconnect its privileged helper. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing privileged

• be privileged

Rhymes for privileged

• underprivileged
• unprivileged

Kids Definition

privileged

adjective

priv·​i·​leged

ˈpriv(-ə)-lijd

: having more things and a better chance in life than most people

privileged classes of society

Legal Definition

privileged

adjective

priv·​i·​leged

: not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance

especially : not subject to disclosure especially in an adjudicative proceeding