private sector

American  

noun

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

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private sector British  

noun

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

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private sector Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of private sector

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

private sector

The private sector likely had 178,000 fewer jobs in March than official data shows, with the slide concentrated in retail and wholesale trade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

It also highlighted average earnings in real terms increased by 0.9% in the private sector and 2.9% in the public sector over 12 years.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

The action "eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria's economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy," he said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

According to TechCrunch, “the private sector can defend against incoming cyberattacks, but not launch of operate them,” a policy that spans several presidential administrations.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

He’d carried the load admirably, inspiring people like Barack and Valerie to move out of the private sector and into community work and public service.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama