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

In 2011, the Principes bought 7 acres in Calabasas and spent eight years designing and obtaining entitlements from the city of Los Angeles. —Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025

When the people running the state operate without accountability, complacency becomes entitlement and entitlement becomes corruption. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 Nov. 2025

Similarly, mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare could be curtailed to ‘bend the curve,’ as economists refer to efforts to slow the pace of future spending growth. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025

Still, some did criticize the woman’s response, accusing her of materialism or entitlement, while mentioning that in general men are less likely to receive gifts upwards of $800 from their partners. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 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