closely held
adjective
: having most stock shares and voting rights in the hands of a few
a closely held business
Examples of closely held in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Information about law enforcement investigations is often also closely held, although in this case, which involves an investigation of a sitting president, the Justice Department and the White House might not agree on how the privilege should be applied.
—
Perry Stein, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024
This meant that both the surveillance information and the technology to get it were closely held national security secrets.
—Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2023
Those who were involved in the scheme kept the strategy closely held, according to three former campaign officials.
—Amy Gardner, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
Also, according to current case law, it should be closely held by the government.
—Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 18 June 2023
Most of them spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the lead-up to an extraordinary transaction — one so closely held that most of golf’s eminent bankers, lawyers and broadcast partners had no warning that it was even being discussed.
—Kate Kelly, New York Times, 10 June 2023
Almost until the very end, the details were closely held and in flux.
—Austin Weinstein, Fortune, 4 June 2023
There are sensitive, need-to-know documents like the President’s Daily Brief, a compendium of the latest intelligence is closely held among a small circle of senior officials.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2023
Prosecutors would also have to show that the documents related to the national defense, that they were closely held and that their disclosure could harm the United States or aid a foreign adversary.
—Charlie Savage, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Mar. 2023
Perry Stein, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024
This meant that both the surveillance information and the technology to get it were closely held national security secrets.
—Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2023
Those who were involved in the scheme kept the strategy closely held, according to three former campaign officials.
—Amy Gardner, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
Also, according to current case law, it should be closely held by the government.
—Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 18 June 2023
Most of them spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the lead-up to an extraordinary transaction — one so closely held that most of golf’s eminent bankers, lawyers and broadcast partners had no warning that it was even being discussed.
—Kate Kelly, New York Times, 10 June 2023
Almost until the very end, the details were closely held and in flux.
—Austin Weinstein, Fortune, 4 June 2023
There are sensitive, need-to-know documents like the President’s Daily Brief, a compendium of the latest intelligence is closely held among a small circle of senior officials.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2023
Prosecutors would also have to show that the documents related to the national defense, that they were closely held and that their disclosure could harm the United States or aid a foreign adversary.
—Charlie Savage, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'closely held.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near closely held
Cite this Entry
“Closely held.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closely%20held. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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