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

Growth since April’s weakness has been concentrated in the private sector, swelling by roughly 146,000 in three months.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The government says that it, and the private sector have a responsibility to retrain workers, and risks falling behind competitors like India and Singapore.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Lilia, a holidaymaker from an area north of Sevastopol, said the private sector was "struggling".

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

U.S. business activity in the private sector continued to expand to an eight-month high in July, according to a monthly survey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 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