privilege 1 of 2

noun

ˈpriv-lij How to pronounce privilege (audio)
Definition of privilegenext
as in honor
something granted as a special favor the town's oldest resident will have the privilege of leading the parade kicking off the Heritage Celebration

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privilege

2 of 2

verb

as in to entitle
to give a right to only professionals who meet the education and experience requirements set by law are privileged to use the title "interior designer" in Oklahoma

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of privilege
Noun
Foam conjures the fragile sturdiness that characterizes both Hesse’s sculpture and Zambreno’s own vacillation between precarity and privilege. — Catherine G. Wagley, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 For weeks, lawmakers have complained about exorbitant fees for the privilege of attending their own party’s event — with some VIP tickets costing as much as $250,000 and lawmakers having to cough up $25,000 to attend. — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
If the Dodgers hadn’t brilliantly exploited an MLB economic system that privileges big-market teams, the Padres wouldn’t be so beholden to the wild-card option year after year. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 For a queen mother to privilege her daughter/queen’s wishes above those of the son/king who abdicated in the night? — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for privilege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for privilege
  1. honor
  2. entitle
  3. authorize
  4. qualify
  5. enable
Noun
  • The Nolan Ryan Fan Club might disagree, but even Ryan isn’t staking a claim to that honor.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The Golden Eye Award honors actors and actresses who shape the current cinematic year while also ranking among the most significant performers of their generation.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of honor
Verb
  • Mulligan’s Lindsay is brittle, entitled and frequently cruel, giving the actress the chance to deliver scathing rejoinders and self-deluded justifications, all with a deep reservoir of personal disappointment.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • If your flight was delayed or canceled following Tuesday’s air traffic control issues at NATS, you may be entitled to flight compensation.
    — Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of entitle
Verb
  • The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Conducted in Houma, Louisiana, the week-long tests marked the first autonomous and uncrewed flights authorized through the federal program, bringing the aircraft closer to commercial operations.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of authorize
Verb
  • Rather than seeding by qualifying time, athletes get to choose their preferred lane in advance, and these are then given out based on world ranking.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Delays in testing and qualifying Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine and an explosion of the rocket’s Centaur upper stage during a ground test in 2023 eventually pushed Vulcan’s first test flight into early 2024.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of qualify
Verb
  • In testing, the team from China reduced heat damage by over 99 percent, preventing structural defects and enabling flawless, highly precise micro-components for extreme environments like aerospace engines and nuclear reactors.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold off on aerial attacks on each other’s capitals to enable the visits over the weekend, bringing a brief respite in the cities, though no broader ceasefire is in place.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of enable

Browse Nearby Words

privies
privilege
privileged
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Cite this Entry

“Privilege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/privilege. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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