sole proprietorship
noun
plural sole proprietorships
: a business practice consisting of a single owner
The wife's business is not a partnership but a sole proprietorship. It belongs to her, not the couple.—
Alan Farnham
Alan FarnhamEach business organization is structured in one of three ways: (1) as a sole proprietorship, (2) as a partnership, or (3) as a corporation. A sole proprietorship is owned and operated by one individual. The owner reaps all profits and is responsible for all the debts of the business.—Harriet E. Jones et al.
Harriet E. Jones et al.Examples of sole proprietorship in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, the state views that business as not having an LLC and instead operating as a sole proprietorship.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
Applicants need to register a sole proprietorship and meet the minimum income requirements.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
Anticipating Higher Costs Of Doing Business The world of SMBs is vast, ranging from sole proprietorships to corporations.
—Sam Sidhu, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
That’s good news for anyone operating as an S-corp, LLC or sole proprietorship.
—Blake Harrison, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
Permanent and enhanced tax deductions Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction: The 20% deduction for qualified business income, crucial for pass-through entities (sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations), is made permanent.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 July 2025
Most businesses in the U.S. are pass-throughs — a designation that includes LLCs, partnerships, sole proprietorships and S-corporations.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 July 2025
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Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
Applicants need to register a sole proprietorship and meet the minimum income requirements.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
Anticipating Higher Costs Of Doing Business The world of SMBs is vast, ranging from sole proprietorships to corporations.
—Sam Sidhu, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
That’s good news for anyone operating as an S-corp, LLC or sole proprietorship.
—Blake Harrison, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
Permanent and enhanced tax deductions Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction: The 20% deduction for qualified business income, crucial for pass-through entities (sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations), is made permanent.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 July 2025
Most businesses in the U.S. are pass-throughs — a designation that includes LLCs, partnerships, sole proprietorships and S-corporations.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sole proprietorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sole%20proprietorship. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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