antitrust
an-tee-TRUST
/ˌæntiˈtrʌst/
Relating to legislation or government policy preventing or controlling business trusts and monopolies to promote competition.
Specifically denotes legal measures designed to maintain fair competition and block corporate monopolies.
The story behind the word. Coined in late 19th-century America when massive monopolies (like Standard Oil and U.S. Steel) were legally structured as corporate 'trusts'—agreements where stockholders transferred shares to board trustees. Legislation passed to break up these huge 'trusts' became naturally known as 'anti-trust' laws.
Word relationships
- competition law: 'Competition law' is the standard terminology used in Europe and international law, while 'antitrust' is predominantly American.
- monopoly protection: Government policies that shield specific monopolies from legal competition.
Commonly confused with
- distrust: Distrust is psychological doubt; antitrust is legal regulation of business monopolies.
Collocations
- antitrust law
- antitrust lawsuit
- antitrust regulator
- antitrust enforcement
Example sentences
- "The Justice Department filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit seeking to break up the tech giant's dominance over search advertising." Regulatory policy news
- "Passed in 1890, the Sherman Act remains the cornerstone of American antitrust law." Historical legislation analysis
Memory hook
ANTI (against) + TRUST (the old word for big corporate monopolies) = Against corporate monopolies. Anti-trust = Anti-monopoly laws.
When not to use
Do not confuse with general 'mistrust' or personal suspicion between individuals.
Fun facts
- President Theodore Roosevelt earned the nickname 'The Trustbuster' because he used the Sherman Antitrust Act to prosecute 44 massive industrial monopolies.
Related words
Explore more words
monopolize, monopoly, antagonism, deregulation, regulation, trustworthy
Also appears in
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