entitlement

noun

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en·ti·tle·ment | \ in-ˈtī-tᵊl-mənt

, en- \

Definition of entitlement

1a : 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

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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 Trying to push party-line entitlement reform has backfired on the GOP again and again in the recent past. — Fred Bauer, National Review, "The GOP Should Think Twice before Returning to Austerity Politics," 8 Dec. 2020 Rhodes coaches the staid candidate through a populist pitch for entitlement reform. — Jake Tapper, The Atlantic, "Still Falling for It," 8 Oct. 2020 Yet, Jones has not shown a sense of entitlement, voiced frustration or sought another opportunity through the transfer portal. — Edgar Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, "Gators backup QB Emory Jones willingly waits his turn," 22 Nov. 2020 Her sense of entitlement, staggering elitism, and hunger for power are just as unchecked as her father's. — Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, "Ivanka Trump’s Former BFF Wrote A Tell-All Essay. But, Who Is It For, Exactly?," 18 Nov. 2020 And this debt crisis is occurring as entitlement programs are set to run out of money. — Phil Gramm And Mike Solon, WSJ, "Clinton’s Example for Biden," 17 Nov. 2020 There’s going to need to be entitlement reform, and that’s going to have to be done on a bipartisan basis. — Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, "‘Utah Politics’ podcast: Mitt Romney on the election, conspiracy theories and more," 11 Nov. 2020 It’s about Trump’s sense of entitlement, which has been on display at every stage of his presidency. — Editorial Board Star Tribune, Star Tribune, "Trump challenges the vote without evidence," 6 Nov. 2020 The site’s redevelopment depends on many factors including public participation, market conditions and the entitlement process, Rimel said. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Landmark Carlsbad smokestack coming down," 30 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entitlement.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Entitlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement. Accessed 23 Dec. 2020.

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More Definitions for entitlement

entitlement

noun

English Language Learners Definition of entitlement

: the condition of having a right to have, do, or get something

: the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something (such as special privileges)

US : a type of financial help provided by the government for members of a particular group

See the full definition for entitlement in the English Language Learners Dictionary

entitlement

noun

en·ti·tle·ment

Legal Definition of entitlement

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

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