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

Trump and Musk have said DOGE would find $2 trillion in spending cuts, a task budget experts have said is impossible without touching entitlement benefits like Social Security and Medicare and a $1.7 trillion discretionary budget. —The National Desk, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025

At the time news broke of the handshake agreement last month, Republicans said the focus of the cuts would be mandatory spending, which also covers entitlement funding. —Aris Folley, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025

These commitments, however, do not affect passengers' entitlement to refunds if a flight is canceled or significantly changed. —Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025

Conclusion The sense of entitlement bred by social media poses a significant challenge to the work ethic of the younger generation. —Nilesh Parmar, Forbes, 23 Dec. 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