Showing results for "privileged"

• past participle of privilege.
• past tense form of privilege.

privileged

American  

[priv-uh-lijd, priv-lijd] / ˈprɪv ə lɪdʒd, ˈprɪv lɪdʒd /

adjective

1. belonging to a class that enjoys special privileges; favored.

   the privileged few.

2. entitled to or exercising a privilege.

3. restricted to a select group or individual.

   privileged information; a privileged position.

4. Law. (of utterances or communications)

   1. not rendering the person making them liable to prosecution for libel or slander, in view of the attendant circumstances.

   2. not requiring any testimony concerning them to be presented in court.

5. Navigation. (of a vessel) having the right of way.

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privileged British  

/ ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒd /

adjective

1. enjoying or granted as a privilege or privileges

2. law

   1. not actionable as a libel or slander

   2. (of a communication, document, etc) that a witness cannot be compelled to divulge

3. nautical (of a vessel) having the right of way

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Other Word Forms

• nonprivileged
  adjective
• quasi-privileged
  adjective
• unprivileged
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of privileged

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; privilege + -ed ³

Explanation

When you're privileged, you enjoy some special right or advantage that most people don't have. You could be privileged to live in a lighthouse and have a spectacular view of the bay. People can be privileged in many different ways, but it always means that they're getting some unusual deal that others probably envy. You can be privileged because you have plenty of money and get to travel the world, or you can be privileged to know interesting people who inspire you. Another meaning of privileged is private or exclusive, as in privileged information that's only available to a few people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

privileged

Plus, I recognize how privileged we are to have financial help — and I always try to cut costs wherever I can.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

It may or may not be a culture clash that pits your middle-class childhood against your husband’s privileged one.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

"I felt quite privileged being a photographer generally because it gives you access to worlds that aren't necessarily part of your world," he says.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

“However, I do not want MBA to become another program where only the most financially privileged children are able to participate.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

Related Words

• honored
• powerful