it was proprietary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was proprietary" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that is owned by a specific company or individual and is not available for public use or distribution. Example: "The software we developed was proprietary, meaning that only our company had the rights to use and distribute it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Part of it was investment banking; part of it was proprietary trading".

The New York Times

And because it was proprietary to AHS, it effectively locked out competitors.

Harvard Business Review

And it was proprietary, meaning it was yours forever to publish or mull endlessly as you desired.

The New York Times - Science

He declined repeated requests from The New York Times to identify those smaller suppliers, saying it was proprietary information.

The New York Times

Mr. Pace declined to say how much that amounted to, saying it was "proprietary, confidential financial information".

The New York Times

A spokesman for the National Institutes of Health said the government would not disclose where it had found other lines, saying it was proprietary corporate information.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

The reason those predictions are so skewed is still unknown, because the company responsible for these algorithms keeps its formulas secret — it's proprietary information.

The New York Times

However, it is proprietary shareware; its source code is not open, and it is not easy to publish constructed quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models, such as Ecological Structure Activity Relationships (ECOSAR) [24], on account of licensing issues.

Journal of Cheminformatics

It's proprietary here".

The New York Times - Science

They argue that it's proprietary business information.

The New Yorker

"It's proprietary how we are putting someone into a box," Ms. McGuire says.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it was proprietary", ensure the context clearly indicates what "it" refers to, avoiding ambiguity. For instance, specify whether you are talking about data, software, or a process.

Common error

Avoid assuming that everything developed within a company is automatically proprietary. Only information actively protected as a trade secret, or clearly marked as confidential, qualifies as such.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was proprietary" functions as a predicate adjective, describing the nature or status of a subject (often data, information, or technology). It indicates that something is owned and protected, as shown by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Formal & Business

28%

Science

28%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was proprietary" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that something is owned and protected by a specific entity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage. It is frequently found in news, business, and scientific contexts to explain restrictions on access to information, technologies, or processes. When using the phrase, ensure clarity regarding what "it" refers to and avoid assuming all internally developed items are proprietary. Alternatives include "it was company-owned" or "access was restricted".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was company-owned

Replaces "proprietary" with a more direct term indicating company ownership.

it was privately held

Emphasizes the private nature of the information or technology.

it was confidential information

Highlights the secrecy and sensitivity of the information.

it was a trade secret

Indicates that the information is legally protected as a trade secret.

the information was not public

Focuses on the lack of public availability.

access was restricted

Highlights that only authorized personnel have the ability to view the information.

it was exclusively theirs

Highlights the aspect of ownership.

it was a registered trademark

Highlights the aspect of it being registered.

it was internally developed

Emphasizes the internal origin and possible exclusivity.

the details were kept secret

Highlights the aspect of confidentiality.

FAQs

What does "it was proprietary" mean?

The phrase "it was proprietary" means that something was owned and controlled by a particular company or individual, and not available for public use or distribution.

How can I use "it was proprietary" in a sentence?

You can use "it was proprietary" to describe information, technology, or processes that are not publicly accessible because they are owned by a specific entity. For example, "The algorithm "it was proprietary", so we couldn't share the code."

What can I say instead of "it was proprietary"?

You can use alternatives like "it was company-owned", "it was confidential information", or "access was restricted" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to ask for details about something that "it was proprietary"?

Generally, no. Because the information "it was proprietary", requesting details might be considered inappropriate unless you have a legitimate need-to-know basis and have been authorized to receive such information.