entitlement

[ en-tahy-tl-muhnt ]
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noun
  1. the act of giving, or the state of having, a title, right, or claim to something: She supported legislation to improve the lot of the elderly, including the entitlement of senior citizens to vote by absentee ballot.

  2. a provision, amount, etc., to which one is entitled; a right: A good education is the moral entitlement of every child.Temporary teachers receive most of the entitlements of permanent teachers, including annual salary, on a prorated basis.

  1. a government program, such as Social Security or unemployment insurance, that provides a benefit to eligible participants, or the benefit provided by such a program: Eligibility for this insurance program will be affected if there is also a Medicare entitlement.

  2. the unjustified assumption that one has a right to certain advantages, preferential treatment, etc.: "Their sense of entitlement—I don't want to call it arrogance—makes dealing with some people difficult,'' said the senator.

Origin of entitlement

1
First recorded in 1825–35; entitle + -ment

Words Nearby entitlement

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use entitlement in a sentence