entitled

Entitled is an adjective with multiple related meanings. In everyday language, it can describe a person who believes they deserve special treatment, or a work that is given a particular title. It also appears in legal and formal contexts to denote a right or privilege.

In publishing and writing, entitled is used to refer to the title of a work. For example, “The report, entitled Climate Change Impacts, was released in 2024.” Grammatically, entitled functions as a past participle of the verb entitle, meaning to give a title to something. More generally, to entitle can also mean to confer a right or claim, as in “You are entitled to a refund.”

In social and psychological contexts, entitled often describes an attitude or disposition. A person who is entitled expects unconstrained favorable treatment and may resist rules or boundaries. The term can carry negative connotations, especially when used to criticize perceived laziness, vanity, or lack of accountability. It is sometimes discussed in psychology as a facet of narcissistic or antisocial personality patterns, though not every use implies a clinical diagnosis.

Etymology traces entitle to the idea of giving a title; the noun title derives from Latin titulus, via Old French and English. Usage should distinguish between the sense of being named or titled and the sense of deserving rights, since the latter can be more value-laden and context-dependent.