entitlement
noun
en·ti·tle·ment
in-ˈtī-tᵊl-mənt 
en-
1
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
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
The property also offers pre-WDO (Pre-Winery Definition Ordinance) entitlements supporting future expansion opportunities.
—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 June 2026
Yet these easy luxuries have simultaneously raised the entitlement of citizens and their expectations of largesse from their underfunded, over-bureaucratized, overpromising governments, which are left seeming slow and inept.
—
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Retirees typically rely on Social Security, a bedrock entitlement program, to cover many of their expenses, along with retirement savings.
—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Therefore, union contracts and social democracies alike pair strong wages and entitlements with deliberate policies that help ordinary households accumulate assets too.
—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for entitlement
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David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 June 2026
Yet these easy luxuries have simultaneously raised the entitlement of citizens and their expectations of largesse from their underfunded, over-bureaucratized, overpromising governments, which are left seeming slow and inept.
—
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Retirees typically rely on Social Security, a bedrock entitlement program, to cover many of their expenses, along with retirement savings.
—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Therefore, union contracts and social democracies alike pair strong wages and entitlements with deliberate policies that help ordinary households accumulate assets too.
—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for entitlement
Cite this Entry
“Entitlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal 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
National Law Journal2
: 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
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