noun

NDA

en-dee-AY

NDA (noun) means a non-disclosure agreement: a contract in which one or both parties promise not to reveal specified confidential information to anyone else. Example: “Every contractor has to sign an NDA before seeing the source code.”

noun

A non-disclosure agreement: a contract in which one or both parties promise not to reveal specified confidential information to anyone else.

"Every contractor has to sign an NDA before seeing the source code."

"She could not discuss the settlement because she was bound by an NDA."

How to Use NDA

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA contract that legally stops you talking about something.

When to use it

Standard legal and business term, now common in journalism because of its use in employment disputes.

Memory tip

A mutual NDA binds both sides; a one-way, or unilateral, NDA binds only the party receiving the information.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

non-compete confidentiality clause gagging order

Common pairings

sign an NDA bound by an NDA break an NDA mutual NDA

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Every contractor has to sign an _____ before seeing the source code.

Etymology

An initialism of non-disclosure agreement.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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non-disclosure agreement confidentiality agreement gagging clause

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an NDA and a non-compete?

An NDA restricts what information you may share, and it can last indefinitely for genuine trade secrets. A non-compete restricts where you may work after leaving, usually for a limited period and area, and is unenforceable or heavily restricted in many jurisdictions.

What happens if you break an NDA?

The other party can sue for breach of contract and seek damages or an injunction stopping further disclosure, and an employee may also be dismissed. Courts will not, however, enforce an NDA that tries to conceal a crime or block a lawful report to a regulator.