sharing economy

noun

: economic activity that involves individuals buying or selling usually temporary access to goods or services especially as arranged through an online company or organization
Arguably the biggest sector of the sharing economy is travel. People are renting their beds to out-of-towners (Airbnb and Couchsurfer), leading them on guided tours (Vayable and CanaryHop) and hosting meals (Voulez Vous Diner and EatWith), sometimes for free but on most sites for a price—though one far below those found at local hotels.Eliana Dockterman

Examples of sharing economy in a Sentence

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The following year, sharing economy rental company Fat Llama - founded by Chaz Englander, Rosie Dallas and Owen Turner-Major - was sold to Swedish competitor Hygglo for $41 million. Trevor Clawson, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Content by this author: China’s Booming Sharing Economy China’s booming sharing economy faces a precarious future. James Yan, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024 The second theme is around the sharing economy and nomadic living. Jane Thier, Fortune, 6 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for sharing economy

Word History

First Known Use

2004, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sharing economy was in 2004

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Cite this Entry

“Sharing economy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sharing%20economy. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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