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antitrust

American  
[an-tee-truhst, an-tahy-] / ˌæn tiˈtrʌst, ˌæn taɪ- /

adjective

  1. opposing or intended to restrain trusts, monopolies, or other large combinations of business and capital, especially with a view to maintaining and promoting competition.

    antitrust legislation.


antitrust British  
/ ˌæntɪˈtrʌst /

noun

  1. (modifier) regulating or opposing trusts, monopolies, cartels, or similar organizations, esp in order to prevent unfair competition

"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

Etymology

Origin of antitrust

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; anti- + trust


Explanation

The adjective antitrust describes a kind of law or rule that protects fairness and competition in business. Antitrust laws are intended to stop companies from forming monopolies. An antitrust attorney specializes in business law, and the rules and regulations that keep competition between businesses fair and equal. One example of an antitrust violation is price fixing, when different companies conspire to keep prices high for their customers. The term antitrust has been around since the 1890s, when the Sherman Act was passed, prohibiting business activities that harmed competition.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing antitrust

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.

See Examples For:

Running its own data centers would put Nvidia in competition with its biggest customers "and that might also trigger a whole bunch of antitrust complaints," Cusumano added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The combination of the two San Francisco-based rivals has already raised antitrust concerns, but it could also help combat the dominance of major e-commerce companies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

The merger may raise antitrust issues with government regulators, Reuters also reported.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

The antitrust question “will come down to market definition,” Devnani added.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Henry Waters Taft, a well- known antitrust lawyer and brother to President William Howard Taft, frequented the Greenbrier, and one day in the store, Katherine taught him Roman numerals.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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