stakeholder
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person or group that is affected by a business, project, or decision.
a person or organisation with a legitimate interest in a given situation, action, or enterprise, often including employees, customers, and the local community.
Simple“The school invited parents and teachers to the meeting as they are the main stakeholders in the new policy.”
In context“Effective corporate social responsibility requires a company to balance the competing interests of various stakeholders, from shareholders to environmental groups.”
UsageOften used in the plural to refer to all groups involved in a project.
Synonymsinterested partyparticipant - 02 C1 Advanced
a person or organization that holds money for other people while they are waiting to finish a legal agreement.
a neutral third party, such as a trustee or escrow agent, who holds money or assets until a contractual condition is met or a dispute is resolved.
Simple“The lawyer acted as a stakeholder for the deposit until the house sale was finished.”
In context“The funds were held by an independent stakeholder pending the final resolution of the contractual dispute between the two firms.”
Synonymstrusteeescrow agent - 03 C2 Proficiency
a person who holds the money that people have bet on a race or game until a winner is found.
a person who holds the stakes of bettors and is responsible for delivering the total amount to the winner.
Simple“In the old days, a trusted stakeholder would keep the money until the horse race was over.”
In context“Before the advent of regulated bookmaking, the stakeholder was a vital figure in ensuring the integrity of private wagers.”
“He said he will soon brief Congress and US stakeholders on the deal's details.”
“Some stakeholders elsewhere in football’s ecosystem have expressed fears about the level of power it has assumed.”
From stake + holder.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.