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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of proprietary
The interactive soccer games feature proprietary ball-delivery and tracking technology.
—
Eric Prisbell, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Chapman notes this information feeds into the firm’s proprietary software GenLink.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The Devotion Walking Shoes have Ryka’s proprietary Activfoam EVA built into the midsole to cushion each step, while the brand’s E-zorb cushioning targets the forefoot and heel.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
Alongside spearheading Tilly Norwood’s growth, Whelan will lead the team in the development of new proprietary AI characters for use by Xicoia and Particle6, as well as oversee the creation of bespoke AI talent commissioned by third parties.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietary
Eric Prisbell, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Chapman notes this information feeds into the firm’s proprietary software GenLink.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The Devotion Walking Shoes have Ryka’s proprietary Activfoam EVA built into the midsole to cushion each step, while the brand’s E-zorb cushioning targets the forefoot and heel.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
Alongside spearheading Tilly Norwood’s growth, Whelan will lead the team in the development of new proprietary AI characters for use by Xicoia and Particle6, as well as oversee the creation of bespoke AI talent commissioned by third parties.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proprietary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proprietary
exclusive
Adjective
-
Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The Broncos are bringing back exclusive-rights free agents Devon Key, Dondrea Tillman, Tyler Badie and Jordan Jackson, a source confirmed to The Post Thursday.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proprietary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proprietary. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
