: one that holds or owns a share in property
especially : stockholder

Examples of shareholder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Europe's sovereign debt worries are starting to show up in corporate borrowing costs, potentially leaving some companies with less cash to invest or return to shareholders, according to Goldman Sachs. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026 That brings us to the question of what shareholders could do if Anthropic’s management proves unequal to the challenge. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Retail investors owned 6 billion more shares and voted 2 billion more shares than the previous season, alongside broader adoption of pass-through voting and virtual shareholder meetings. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 In addition to the Knicks title, shareholders of Dolan’s companies have recently scored. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shareholder

Word History

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shareholder was in 1755

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shareholder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shareholder. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

shareholder

noun
: one that owns or holds a share in property
especially : stockholder

Legal Definition

shareholder

noun
share·​hold·​er
: one that owns a share in a fund (as a mutual fund) or property
shareholding adjective or noun
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