entitlements
entitlements — noun
- entitlementssingular
- entitlementsesplural
1. things that a person or group is legally or contractually allowed to have, keep,
things that a person or group is legally or contractually allowed to have, keep, or receive — for example, pension payments, insurance coverage, paid leave, or access to services that are guaranteed by an agreement or a law.
Under the new contract, every employee is entitled to full healthcare entitlements from the first day at work.
contractual right: entitled to + entitlement
The retired teacher went to the social security office to claim the pension entitlements she had earned over thirty years.
collocation: pension entitlements — shows how they accumulate over a career
Bao's travel insurance policy lists the specific entitlements for emergency medical treatment abroad.
The court decided that the company had violated the workers' legal entitlements to overtime pay.
Alessia checked her employment contract to understand her annual leave entitlements.
- right
broader term; 'right' can be moral or legal, while 'entitlement' strongly implies a formal, documented basis
- claim
focuses on the act of demanding something you believe you should have; slightly more assertive than 'entitlement'
- benefit
emphasises what is received (money, service) rather than the legal right to receive it
- obligation
something you must do rather than something you are allowed to receive
用法筆記
Most often appears in plural form (entitlements) or in the pattern 'entitlement to [something]'. Subject is typically an individual, a group of workers, or an organisation that holds a right.
常見錯誤
2. a publicly funded scheme that delivers money, food, medical care, or other servi
a publicly funded scheme that delivers money, food, medical care, or other services to people who meet specific conditions, such as age, income level, or disability status.
Social Security and Medicare are the two largest entitlement programs in the United States.
collocation: entitlement program
The government is debating whether to expand entitlement benefits to cover free dental care for seniors.
Niran works at a local agency that helps families apply for food assistance entitlements.
Gabriela's study examines how entitlement spending on Social Security now consumes over half of the US federal budget.
Any citizen who meets the income requirements can receive these housing entitlements from the state.
- welfare
more specific to aid for low-income people; 'entitlement' covers broader programs (e.g. Social Security for retirees of all income levels)
- social benefit
common in British English contexts; less politically charged in US usage
- public assistance
narrower, usually means means-tested aid rather than universal programs
- discretionary spending
government spending that Congress must approve each year, not guaranteed by prior law
用法筆記
This sense is common in US political and policy discussions. 'Entitlement program' and 'entitlement spending' are fixed phrases. The term is sometimes used critically by those who oppose large government welfare systems, but it is also used neutrally in policy analysis.
常見錯誤
3. the unjustified belief that you deserve special treatment, rewards, or admiratio
the unjustified belief that you deserve special treatment, rewards, or admiration without having earned them through effort or achievement.
Yuki's constant sense of entitlement made it difficult for her teammates to work with her.
collocation: sense of entitlement
The manager felt that the intern had an attitude of entitlement, expecting praise for very little work.
Selim quit the book club, unable to bear members whose entitlement demanded praise just for showing up.
Meera's entitlement became obvious when she demanded a promotion after only two months on the job.
- arrogance
stronger and more openly hostile; 'arrogance' implies open boastfulness, whereas 'entitlement' can be a quieter but still unreasonable expectation
- self-importance
focuses on inflated self-worth rather than expecting external rewards
用法筆記
This sense is almost always singular (entitlement, not entitlements). Frequently appears in the phrases 'sense of entitlement' and 'attitude of entitlement'. Carries a negative, critical tone — it describes a quality the speaker disapproves of.