closely held

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "closely held" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a company or organization that is privately owned and has a limited number of shareholders. Example: "The closely held corporation has only a few shareholders, making it easier to make decisions without outside influence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Closely held Ziff Davis is following other publishers in closing magazines after a decline in ad sales.

The New York Times

Closely held.

University of California, Berkeley

FBOP is closely held.

The New York Times

Simplex is closely held.

The New York Times

Eligix is closely held.

The New York Times

The other remains a closely held secret.

The New York Times

The information was very closely held.

The New Yorker

(The program is a closely held secret.

The New Yorker

The marriage was a closely held secret.

The New York Times

American Commercial is closely held.

The New York Times

Both companies are closely held.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a company, use "closely held" to clearly indicate that its ownership is private and not publicly traded. This term is particularly useful in legal and financial contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "closely held" when you simply mean a small business. "Closely held" specifically refers to the structure of ownership and not necessarily the size of the enterprise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "closely held" functions primarily as a descriptive adjective, modifying nouns like "company", "corporation", or "information". It indicates that ownership or knowledge is restricted to a small group, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Formal & Business

23%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "closely held" is a descriptive adjective commonly used to denote restricted ownership or access, particularly in business, legal, and financial contexts. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness. While frequently encountered in news and media, it also finds application in formal business settings and academic discourse. Understanding the specific context is crucial to accurately convey the intended meaning, whether it pertains to a company's ownership structure or the confidentiality of information. Alternatives include "privately owned" and "tightly controlled", depending on the specific nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Privately owned

Focuses on the ownership structure rather than the number of owners or accessibility of shares.

Tightly controlled

Emphasizes the level of control exerted over the entity or information.

Confidential information

Highlights the sensitivity and restricted access to specific data.

Restricted access

Focuses on the limited availability or permission to enter or use something.

Secret information

Underscores the concealed nature of the data.

Non-public

Emphasizes that something is not available to the general public.

Unlisted company

Specifically refers to a company that is not traded on a stock exchange.

Family-owned business

Specifies that the business is owned and operated by a family.

Kept under wraps

Implies that information is deliberately hidden or concealed.

Proprietary information

Highlights that the information is privately owned and used for competitive advantage.

FAQs

How is "closely held" used in a sentence?

You can use "closely held" to describe a business or piece of information. For example, "The company is a "closely held" corporation" or "The details of the plan are "closely held"".

What's an alternative to "closely held" when referring to a company?

When referring to a company, you can use alternatives like "privately owned" or "unlisted company" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "closely held" to describe a secret?

Yes, "closely held" can describe a secret, particularly when emphasizing that the information is deliberately restricted to a small group. Other alternatives may be "confidential information" or "secret information", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

What is the difference between "closely held" and "widely held"?

"Closely held" refers to ownership concentrated among a few individuals, while "widely held" describes ownership distributed across a large number of shareholders. A publicly traded company is typically "widely held", whereas a private company is "closely held".