Meaning & use

ownership

noun·Academic

The state or fact of legally possessing something, or a sense of personal responsibility for a task or outcome.

See it in a sentence

The deed proved her ownership of the house beyond any doubt.

Managers encouraged employees to take ownership of their individual projects.

A note on using this word

Ownership often extends beyond legal possession to mean a felt sense of responsibility, as in 'take ownership of a mistake.'

Words with a similar meaning

possessionproprietorship

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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