entitle
Americanverb (used with object)
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entitles,
present (3rd person singular)
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entitled,
past participle, past
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entitling
present participle
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to give (a person or thing) a title, right, or claim to something; furnish with grounds for laying claim.
His executive position entitled him to certain courtesies rarely accorded others.
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to call by a particular title or name.
What was the book entitled?
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to designate (a person) by an honorary title.
verb
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to give (a person) the right to do or have something; qualify; allow
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to give a name or title to
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to confer a title of rank or honour upon
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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entitlesimple
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entitlessimple
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have entitledperfect
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has entitledperfect
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am entitlingprogressive
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are entitlingprogressive
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is entitlingprogressive
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have been entitlingperfect progressive
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has been entitlingperfect progressive
Past
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entitledsimple
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had entitledperfect
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was entitlingprogressive
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were entitlingprogressive
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had been entitlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of entitle
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English entitlen, from Anglo-French entitler, variant of Middle French entituler, from Late Latin intitulāre; see en- 1, title
Explanation
Use the verb entitle to mean "give a right to." At some schools, being a senior might entitle students to go out for lunch on Fridays. The most common use of entitle is the one you might see on a coupon, like one for a free ride at the state fair that entitles the holder to one free ride on the Octopus of Terror. When you entitle someone, you give them a claim to something, like when you entitle someone the best goalie in Canada, or make someone a member of the noble class, like when the Queen entitles, or gives a title to, a worthy person.
Vocabulary lists containing entitle
Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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The Bluest Eye
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Teachers don’t need a master’s in education to teach, though collective-bargaining agreements sometimes entitle them to pay raises if they get one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
That would automatically entitle them to move around Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Just following this process would entitle employers’ decisions to “significant deference” from the courts — a “safe harbor,” or legal shield, meant to guard those decisions from challenge.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
“The idea was always, I pay the property owner, someone pays me rent, I more or less break even and I have time to entitle the property for something bigger.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 12, 2026
“Does your battle for liberty entitle you to search through the private linens of a lady?”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
The lawsuit claims Amazon’s actions violate the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which entitles pregnant employees to reasonable accommodations and pregnancy-related absences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
Eighteen-year-olds were already entitled to a 16-25 Railcard, but that only entitles them to a third off the cost of travel.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Silver believes the judge’s ruling entitles him to permits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
The courts have established that making a charitable gift is a protected free speech activity that entitles donors to certain privacy rights.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2025
“Unless you find something else I’m afraid you will have to go back to the front when you are through with your jaundice. I don’t believe self-inflicted jaundice entitles you to a convalescent leave.”
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
Carr has challenged the status of “The View,” arguing that the topical chat show is not a bona fide news program and, thus, should not be entitled to the exemption.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
They are entitled to be bullish though, especially with $1.5bn investment from the Strategic Sports Group.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Lee argued that she had contributed to the company's founding and early management, as well as indirectly through domestic work, and was therefore entitled to half of Kwon's stake.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
William Maxwell, who has been incarcerated for over a decade and says he is entitled to be transferred to a halfway house or home confinement, worked from a prison library in Texas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
“Anne Frank, as punishment for talking in class, write an essay entitled ‘“Quack, Quack, Quack,” Said Mistress Chatterback.’”
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
A pasta PSA: After a yearslong hiatus, Olive Garden is selling 10,000 Never-Ending Pasta Passes on Thursday, entitling buyers to 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, soup, salad, and breadsticks.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
In addition to the cash consideration, Theravance shareholders will receive contingent value rights entitling them to 80% of net proceeds from any future license, divestiture or other monetization of ampreloxetine within the next 10 years.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
“By entitling two options, we will be better positioned to ensure that we can deliver a viable project at this site once all approvals have been secured.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2024
“Failure to pay Mr. Zeidman the $5 million prize was a breach of the contract, entitling him to recover.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 20, 2023
There at another desk I was handed a railway pass entitling me to transportation through Germany to the Dutch border.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
