entitled

American  

[en-tahyt-ld] / ɛnˈtaɪt ld /

Rarely intitled

adjective

1. called by the title indicated.

   In my paper so entitled, I explore the idea that "Robust Democracy Is National Security."

2. having a right or legitimate claim to something.

   The inheritance passes to the legally entitled heir.

3. assuming or acting as though one has an innate right or claim to wealth, success, recognition, etc..

   I was so entitled and self-centered that I never noticed the injustices around me.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of entitle.

Other Word Forms

• unentitled adjective
• well-entitled adjective

Etymology

Origin of entitled

entitle ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does entitled compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• titled vs. entitled

Explanation

The adjective entitled means you have a legal right to something. If you are entitled to your mother's house when she passes away, that means it's written in her will that she gave it to you. Entitled is often used in a more casual way, to mean "allowed." For example, volunteers at the park clean-up are entitled to the water and snacks at the pavilion. Sometimes, though, people feel they are entitled to special treatment because they think they are more worthy than others. This usage of entitled came from the mid 15th century, when it referred to giving someone the title of an estate or property.

Example Sentences

Eastern time on March 20 will be entitled to vote at the meeting on the merger with Paramount.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

"On the upside, if you're denied boarding, you're legally entitled to compensation, which for a flight to Malaga would be around £350. If your journey wasn't urgent that could be quite attractive," Spake says.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

“There’s nothing that says that noncitizens should not be entitled to due process,” Nunley said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

The work entitled "Low-frequency vector electrometry with a Rydberg dipolar chain" was featured on the cover of Frontiers of Optoelectronics.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026

The British colonizers were driven by the belief that they were entitled by divine decree and by royal declaration to live on and use the land and resources of North America.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Related Words

• honored
• powerful