Synonyms

private sector

American

noun

the area of the nation's economy under private rather than governmental control.

private sector British

noun

the part of a country's economy that consists of privately owned enterprises Compare public sector

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

private sector Cultural

That part of an economy in which goods and services are produced by individuals and companies as opposed to the government, which controls the public sector.

Etymology

Origin of private sector

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But she argues: "What patients are paying for in the private sector is access to see the person they want and time for that consultation."

From BBC

There are far greater capacities in civil society and the private sector than in 1945, "and we need to be able to harness that: we don't have to do everything in the UN."

From Barron's

"We are committed to working closely with partners across the public and private sector including Police Scotland to ensure it continues to be a welcoming and attractive place for everyone."

From BBC

On Wednesday, however, the US Treasury said it would ease some small private sector transactions, including oil sales, to "support the Cuban people, for commercial and humanitarian use".

From BBC

The biggest thing that keeps me bullish at this point is that Main Street confidence is in the tank, and major players in the private sector are pessimistic and cautious.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023