privileged

1 of 2

adjective

priv·​i·​leged ˈpriv-lijd How to pronounce privileged (audio)
ˈpri-və-
Synonyms of privilegednext
1
: having or enjoying one or more privileges
privileged classes
2
: not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance
especially : not subject to disclosure in a court of law
a privileged communication

privileged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of privilege entry 2

Examples of privileged in a Sentence

Adjective He comes from a very privileged background. The town attracts people who are wealthy and privileged. The President's adviser has a privileged position of trust. She had privileged access to the files. Only the privileged few can become members of the club.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The bill included an exception for privileged communications during private confession and also required training for persons obligated to report abuse and neglect. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 By focusing on the battles fought in luxury department stores, fashion shows, high-end spas, nail salons, and the home, the film illustrated just how limited even privileged women’s options were. — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 Bitdefender says removing Midnight Mimosa's privileged component may require firmware-level cleanup or specialized tools such as Android Debug Bridge. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The three-part documentary follows the brothers’ rise from their privileged youth in Miami to reaching the highest echelons of high-end real estate, first at Douglas Elliman and then at their own brokerage, called Official. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for privileged

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of privileged was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing privileged

Rhymes for privileged

See All Rhymes for privileged

Browse Nearby Words

privilege
privileged
privileged debt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Privileged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privileged. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

privileged

adjective
priv·​i·​leged
ˈpriv(-ə)-lijd
: having more things and a better chance in life than most people
privileged classes of society

Legal Definition

privileged

adjective
priv·​i·​leged
: not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance
especially : not subject to disclosure especially in an adjudicative proceeding

More from Merriam-Webster on privileged

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for privileged

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All