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

• allocation
• allotment
• annuity
• appropriation
• grant
• subsidy
• subvention

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

As the largest entitlements program in the country, Social Security provides benefits to more than 70 million retirees, survivors and people with disabilities every month. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

Experts say Musk’s goal is impossible; too much of the budget lies in either national security or entitlement programs dear to Trump supporters. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024

Much of the federal budget—Social Security and other mandatory entitlements—would remain largely untouched owing to legal and political constraints, apart from efforts to address fraud. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024

Despite it being established as an entitlement more than a decade ago, day care access is uneven, often unreliable, and demand still far outstrips supply, particularly in Western Germany. —Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 30 Oct. 2024

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