Synonyms

private practice

American

noun

the practice of one's profession as an independent rather than as an employee.

private practice British

noun

medical practice that is not part of the National Health Service

"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

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.

“He’s a real lawyer,” said Doug Gansler, a former Democratic attorney general in Maryland who worked with Blanche in private practice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

A graduate of Columbia University law school, he served as a lawyer in the US Army from 1957 to 1960 before entering private practice.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Not long after opening his private practice in 1965, Gilberg was contacted by a prominent Beverly Hills couple seeking care for their son.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

Seven years later, Aiken moved back to Australia and set up his own private practice "seeing couples, singles, and minding my own business".

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

In his private practice Burnham was accustomed to having complete control over expenditures needed to build his skyscrapers.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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