sharing economy

noun

: economic activity that involves individuals buying or selling usually temporary access to goods or services especially as arranged through an online company or organization

Arguably the biggest sector of the sharing economy is travel. People are renting their beds to out-of-towners (Airbnb and Couchsurfer), leading them on guided tours (Vayable and CanaryHop) and hosting meals (Voulez Vous Diner and EatWith), sometimes for free but on most sites for a price—though one far below those found at local hotels.

—Eliana Dockterman

Examples of sharing economy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Content by this author: China’s Booming Sharing Economy China’s booming sharing economy faces a precarious future. —James Yan, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024

The second theme is around the sharing economy and nomadic living. —Jane Thier, Fortune, 6 May 2024

Fortune Bird’s bankruptcy The rapid rise and even speedier fall of e-scooter startup Bird shows the strains on the sharing economy, the onetime Silicon Valley fad. —Alan Murray, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2024

Outside of the enterprise tech space, fintech, sharing economy companies, and e-commerce platforms remain top drivers in many portfolios. —Truebridge Capital, Forbes, 5 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

2004, in the meaning defined above