oligopoly
noun
ol·i·gop·o·ly
ˌä-lə-ˈgä-pə-lē 
ˌō-
: a market situation in which each of a few producers affects but does not control the market
Examples of oligopoly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This vertical integration system triggered a major antitrust case that resulted in a 1948 U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively broke up the studio oligopolies.
—
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024
This dominance meant that large firms could operate as an oligopoly—keeping prices relatively stable through the 1960s.
—Gregory Brew, Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2022
By 2019, the major Hollywood agencies had been consolidated into an oligopoly of four companies that controlled more than 75 percent of WGA writers’ earnings.
—Daniel Bessner, Harper's Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The oligopoly asks only that no one interfere with corporate imperatives.
—Matthew Jordan, The Conversation, 1 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oligopoly 
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024
This dominance meant that large firms could operate as an oligopoly—keeping prices relatively stable through the 1960s.
—Gregory Brew, Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2022
By 2019, the major Hollywood agencies had been consolidated into an oligopoly of four companies that controlled more than 75 percent of WGA writers’ earnings.
—Daniel Bessner, Harper's Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The oligopoly asks only that no one interfere with corporate imperatives.
—Matthew Jordan, The Conversation, 1 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oligopoly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oligopoly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Oligopoly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligopoly. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
oligopoly
noun
ol·i·gop·o·ly
ˌä-li-ˈgä-pə-lē, ˌō-
plural oligopolies
: a condition in which a few sellers dominate a particular market to the detriment of competition by others
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