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small business

American

[smawl biz-nis] / ˈsmɔl ˈbɪz nɪs /

noun

a profit-seeking enterprise or concern that is independently owned and operated, has a limited number of employees, and is not nationally dominant in its field.

Etymology

Origin of small business

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

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.

On a recent trip to Lipetsk region, small business owners told me they were struggling to stay afloat.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

After Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour posted on X about the promotion, social-media users responded by pointing out that a small business hedging potential losses tied to a promotion wasn’t exactly a new concept.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

These days, he’s running a small business he bought several years ago with his family’s help and is focused on scaling it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

It has sparked condemnation from small business groups and investors who accuse Canberra of penalising wealth creators.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

She started a small business selling clothes and brought us money when she could.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

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