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
Synonyms
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
April Talley, the city’s project director, said Cinemark’s departure does not require any change to the environmental impact report or project entitlements that were endorsed by the Planning Commission last month.
—
Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Arguments against defense spending increases often cite the ballooning of the national debt—but even though the debt is unquestionably a problem, defense spending is not its primary cause: entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
House Republicans also clashed at the time over where ideas to shore up solvency for entitlement programs or potential reductions to military spending would fit into talks to significantly curb spending.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024
The sense of entitlement that comes with the tour circus can block the rationale of what is acceptable.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for entitlement 
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Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Arguments against defense spending increases often cite the ballooning of the national debt—but even though the debt is unquestionably a problem, defense spending is not its primary cause: entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
House Republicans also clashed at the time over where ideas to shore up solvency for entitlement programs or potential reductions to military spending would fit into talks to significantly curb spending.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024
The sense of entitlement that comes with the tour circus can block the rationale of what is acceptable.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for entitlement
Articles Related to entitlement
Dictionary Entries Near entitlement
Cite this Entry
“Entitlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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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