noun
stakeholder
STAYK-hohl-der
Stakeholder (noun) means a person, group or organisation with an interest in a project, business or decision, and who is affected by how it turns out. Example: “We will consult every stakeholder before the design is signed off.”
noun
1
A person, group or organisation with an interest in a project, business or decision, and who is affected by how it turns out.
"We will consult every stakeholder before the design is signed off."
"Residents are stakeholders in the redevelopment just as much as the investors are."
2
legal An independent third party who holds money or property on behalf of others while a bet, dispute or transaction is settled.
"The solicitor held the deposit as stakeholder until completion."
How to use stakeholder
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnyone who has something to gain or lose from a decision.
When to use it
Standard business and public-sector vocabulary; sometimes criticised as jargon when it simply means 'the people involved'.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
key stakeholder
stakeholder engagement
stakeholder management
stakeholder buy-in
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We will consult every _____ before the design is signed off.
Etymology
Originally the person who held the stakes in a wager; the modern business sense of 'anyone with an interest' developed from that image.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for stakeholder
See all rhymes for stakeholder →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stakeholder and a shareholder?
A shareholder owns part of a company and has a financial claim on it. A stakeholder is anyone affected by what the company does, which includes shareholders but also staff, customers, suppliers, regulators and the local community. Every shareholder is a stakeholder; most stakeholders are not shareholders.
Who counts as a stakeholder in a project?
Anyone who can affect the project or be affected by it: the client paying for it, the team building it, the users who will live with the result, and often regulators or neighbours. Project managers usually map them by how much interest and how much influence each one has.
What is internal and external stakeholder?
Internal stakeholders sit inside the organisation, such as employees, managers and owners. External stakeholders sit outside it, such as customers, suppliers, government bodies and the wider community.
What is the meaning of stakeholder?
"stakeholder" (noun) means a person, group or organisation with an interest in a project, business or decision, and who is affected by how it turns out.
