market share: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal to neutral, predominantly used in business, economics, and journalism contexts.
Quick answer
What does “market share” mean?
The percentage of total sales in a market that a particular company or product accounts for.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The percentage of total sales in a market that a particular company or product accounts for.
A measure of a company's competitiveness and dominance in its industry; often used as a key performance indicator and strategic goal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral business metric in both regions. High market share is generally viewed positively as a sign of success and competitive strength.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American business English.
Grammar
How to Use “market share” in a Sentence
[Company/Product] + verb (have/gain/lose) + market share + in + [market][Market share] + verb (is/stands at/grew) + [percentage/figure]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “market share” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The company's market share in the UK has remained steady.
- They conducted a detailed analysis of supermarket market share.
American English
- Their market share in the smartphone industry is impressive.
- The report highlighted a shift in automotive market share.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Our primary objective this quarter is to increase our market share by targeting new customer segments.
Academic
The study analysed the correlation between R&D investment and long-term market share in the technology sector.
Everyday
Their new phone is so popular it's really taken a big market share from the other brands.
Technical
The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index is used to calculate market concentration, not just individual market share.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “market share”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “market share”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “market share”
- Using it as a plural countable noun (e.g., 'Our market shares are growing' – incorrect).
- Confusing 'market share' with 'profit margin' (one is about volume/sales percentage, the other is about profitability).
- Using 'in the market share' instead of 'in market share' or 'of the market share' (e.g., 'an increase in market share').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sales is an absolute number (e.g., £1 million in revenue). Market share is a relative percentage (e.g., 15% of all sales in that market).
Yes, in theory, if it is a monopoly and has no competitors. In practice, this is very rare in open markets due to regulations and niche competitors.
Not always. Sometimes gaining market share requires unsustainable price cuts or costly marketing, which can reduce profitability. The quality of the market share (e.g., loyal customers vs. discount seekers) also matters.
Typically: (Company's Sales / Total Market Sales) x 100. The 'market' must be carefully defined (e.g., 'the UK smartphone market').
The percentage of total sales in a market that a particular company or product accounts for.
Market share is usually formal to neutral, predominantly used in business, economics, and journalism contexts. in register.
Market share: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɑː.kɪt ˌʃeər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːr.kɪt ˌʃer/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A race for market share”
- “A battle for market share”
- “To eat into someone's market share”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a literal pie (the market) being cut into slices (shares). Your company's slice is your 'market share'.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKET IS A PIE / MARKET IS A BATTLEFIELD (to gain/lose/capture/share).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'market share'?