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

O'Connor is not allowed, in the committee's view, to delay or decline a congressional subpoena based on concerns over questions about potentially privileged information. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025

Yeah, very privileged to be a part of it all, very stoked and really grateful that our fan base continues to evolve and has embraced this new chapter with so much passion. —Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025

But changing the venue of Conrad’s imperialist tale to chaotic Vietnam meant that the team of privileged college kids avoided precise historical analogies. —Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025

Okakura’s ideas on Japan’s privileged position in Asia were immensely influential during and after his lifetime. —Waiyee Loh, JSTOR Daily, 2 July 2025

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