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Synonyms

shareholder

American  
[shair-hohl-der] / ˈʃɛərˌhoʊl dər /

noun

  1. a holder or owner of shares, especially in a company or corporation.


shareholder British  
/ ˈʃɛəˌhəʊldə /

noun

  1. the owner of one or more shares in a company

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of shareholder

First recorded in 1785–95; share 1 + holder

Explanation

A shareholder is someone who holds stock in a company. Shareholders partially own a company and can make more money when it does well. When you share, you're using or enjoying something with others. Similarly, shareholders own shares — also known as stocks — in a company, so the shareholders all own a little piece of the company. Therefore, shareholders want the company to succeed, so their shares will be worth more money. If one shareholder owns more than 50% of the shares, that person can control the company. Otherwise, the shareholders will have to work together to make decisions.

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Vocabulary lists containing shareholder

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.

“We will continue to seek balance between growth and shareholder returns given the current market backdrop.”

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

The question may not be amenable to shareholder litigation, but it is worth raising to corporate boards and managers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

But it said it had a duty to maximise shareholder value and would "consider any proposal, should one be made".

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

In its next CEO, Verra Mobility said it is “focused on candidates we believe will build on our technology, navigate the evolving market, drive growth and create shareholder value in Verra Mobility’s next phase.”

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

He became Avant!’s single largest shareholder; he pressed management for changes.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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