as in exclusive
belonging to only one person, unit, or group and not used by or available to others
The restaurant's proprietary recipe for barbecue sauce is only known to the head chef.
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Recent Examples of proprietary
Microsoft will distribute Rho-alpha through its Foundry platform, positioning it as infrastructure that manufacturers and system integrators can customize with proprietary data.
—
Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Though these are the standard steps for any DIY manicure, the brand has its own proprietary formulas that, per Drescher and thousands of fans, make all the difference.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Data gets locked into proprietary environments.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
And now, chief executive Greg Altman said, its proprietary NoviCulture process is now validated as a new model for how high-quality, natural leather can compete—and win—at the global scale.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietary
Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Though these are the standard steps for any DIY manicure, the brand has its own proprietary formulas that, per Drescher and thousands of fans, make all the difference.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Data gets locked into proprietary environments.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
And now, chief executive Greg Altman said, its proprietary NoviCulture process is now validated as a new model for how high-quality, natural leather can compete—and win—at the global scale.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proprietary
exclusive
Adjective
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
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Celebrity Cruises' Lane explains that booking shore excursions in advance means getting access to exclusive offers only available prior to sailing.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proprietary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proprietary. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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