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

Senior government officials have preliminarily discussed taking direct stakes in AI developers since early last year as part of a broader effort to take a more active role in the private sector.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Healthcare continued to dominate job growth in the private sector, but others also showed gains.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

In 2023, the U.S. parent companies of U.S.-based multinational companies paid their 29.9 million workers in America an average total compensation of $97,078—about 20% above the average in the rest of the private sector.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

When Bondi left the Department of Justice at the beginning of April, she said she was excited to be entering a role in the private sector.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

The Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen 449 points, to its lowest level in four years, and most of the market-moving news was coming not from the private sector but from government officials.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis