entitle

entitle — verb

1. to legally or officially allow a person to receive a particular benefit or to ta

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to legally or officially allow a person to receive a particular benefit or to take a specific action, based on a rule, contract, or law — for example, being entitled to paid leave under an employment contract, or a ticket entitling the holder to a discount.

Example

As a full-time employee, Erik is entitled to 25 days of paid leave each year.

be entitled to + noun (right or benefit)

This pass entitles you to free entry to all national parks in the region.

entitle someone to + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • be entitled to + benefit / compensation / leave / pension / refund / discount
  • entitle someone to + membership / access / entry / vote / protection
  • legally entitled / contractually entitled / fully entitled
  • entitle the holder / the owner / the employee
Synonyms
  • qualify someone for

    focuses on meeting conditions or requirements rather than having a granted right

  • authorize

    more formal; emphasizes official permission to act, often in institutional settings

  • give someone the right to

    less formal and more transparent; commonly used in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • disqualify

    removes a person's eligibility or right

  • ban

    stronger and more absolute; prohibits someone from doing something

Grammar Patterns

entitle + someone + to + noun phrase

entitle + someone + to-infinitive

be entitled + to + noun phrase / to-infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice (be entitled to something). The active construction (entitle someone to something) is more formal and less common in everyday speech. The object of the entitlement is typically a concrete benefit, right, or service — not an abstract wish or moral belief.

Common Mistakes

I am entitled to a day off because I feel tired.
I am entitled to a day off because I worked extra hours last week.
'Entitled' refers to a legal or contractual right, not a personal feeling or preference.
The coupon entitles for a free coffee.
The coupon entitles you to a free coffee.
'Entitle' always needs an indirect object (someone) before stating what that person receives.

2. to give a creative work, such as a book, film, poem, or painting, a specific nam

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to give a creative work, such as a book, film, poem, or painting, a specific name by which it is known or referred to.

Example

The novel is entitled 'The House of the Spirits' by Isabel Allende.

passive: be entitled + title in quotes

Adisa's latest film, entitled 'Northern Lights,' won three international awards.

entitled as a past participle in an appositive phrase

Common collocations
  • a book / film / painting / poem / article / essay / chapter entitled
  • entitled + title in quotation marks or italics
  • a work entitled / a piece entitled / a collection entitled
Synonyms
  • name

    less formal; can be used for people, products, and things, not just creative works

  • call

    informal; very common in spoken English for referring to titles

  • title

    a direct synonym but less frequent as a verb; more common in American English

Grammar Patterns

be entitled + title (noun phrase)

Usage Note

Almost always used in the passive voice (be entitled + name). The active form (e.g., 'She entitled her book…') is grammatically possible but rare in modern English; 'name' or 'call' are preferred for active constructions.

Common Mistakes

He entitled the movie 'Sunrise.
His movie is entitled 'Sunrise.
The titling sense of 'entitle' is almost always used in the passive form.

Word family

  • entitlement
    nounB2
  • title
    nounB2
  • title
    verbC1
  • entitled
    adjectiveC1
  • subtitle
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

While all four words relate to giving permission or access, they differ in scope and formality. 'Entitle' specifically refers to a legal, contractual, or policy-based right — often involving concrete benefits like leave, discounts, or entry (e.g., 'The pass entitles the holder to free parking'). 'Qualify' focuses on meeting specific conditions or requirements (e.g., 'Her five years of experience qualify her for the senior role'). 'Authorize' is about giving official permission for someone to act, typically in an institutional or bureaucratic context (e.g., 'The manager authorized the withdrawal'). 'Allow' is the most general and least formal, covering any kind of permission or lack of prohibition (e.g., 'The rules allow visitors to bring one bag'). Use 'entitle' when the emphasis is on a deserved or earned right; use 'allow' for everyday permission.

entitle ↗qualify ↗authorize ↗allow ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be entitled to
  • entitle someone to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'entitle' comes from Old French 'entiteler', meaning 'to give a title to', which in turn derives from Latin 'intitulare' — formed from 'in-' (in, on) and 'titulus' (title, inscription, label). The meaning of 'giving someone a right' developed in Middle English from the legal sense of having a 'title' or claim to something. In other words, if you have the 'title' to something in law, you are 'entitled' to it. The two modern senses — giving a right and giving a name — both trace back to the same root idea of assigning a formal designation.