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
Assuming the United States once again avoids going over the fiscal cliff, many challenges remain—driven by rising entitlement program costs and skyrocketing interest expenses—to put the country on a sustainable fiscal path.
—
Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
In addition to the board’s own equity policy, the resolution cited the Supreme Court of the United States and Maryland Superintendent Carey Wright’s previous affirmations of all students’ entitlement to a public K-12 education regardless of immigration status.
—Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2025
The popular entitlements, which are considered politically untouchable by many in Congress, came with a warning label from Republican senators for DOGE not to slash benefits as Democrats look to make the administration’s handling of the programs a wedge issue.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Mar. 2025
Details on the anti-fraud project though have been murky, including how DOGE staffers, who are mostly allies of Musk with no experience on complex government entitlement programs, would define what amounts to fraud, which is typically investigated by inspectors general at the agency.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entitlement
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Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
In addition to the board’s own equity policy, the resolution cited the Supreme Court of the United States and Maryland Superintendent Carey Wright’s previous affirmations of all students’ entitlement to a public K-12 education regardless of immigration status.
—Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2025
The popular entitlements, which are considered politically untouchable by many in Congress, came with a warning label from Republican senators for DOGE not to slash benefits as Democrats look to make the administration’s handling of the programs a wedge issue.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Mar. 2025
Details on the anti-fraud project though have been murky, including how DOGE staffers, who are mostly allies of Musk with no experience on complex government entitlement programs, would define what amounts to fraud, which is typically investigated by inspectors general at the agency.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entitlement
Articles Related to entitlement
Cite this Entry
“Entitlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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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