Find Antonyms
proprietary Antonyms
Opposite of proprietary
Because the opposite of proprietary shifts with each meaning, the antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 3 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Manufactured, marketed, or held under an exclusive legal right, such as a patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret.
Usage Example
"The firm developed a nonproprietary algorithm that competitors are legally barred from copying."
Strongest
nonproprietary
generic
open-source
Strong
public
• adjective (Context 2)
Relating to an owner or ownership, or behaving as if one were the owner of someone or something.
Usage Example
"The curator took a unpossessive pride in the museum's newly restored collection."
Strong
unpossessive
• noun (Context 3)
An owner or proprietor, or a body of proprietors collectively (especially one granted a colonial territory in early North American history).
Usage Example
"In the seventeenth century, the land was governed by a wealthy tenant under a royal charter."
Strong
tenant
Similar words to proprietary
Words similar to proprietary shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
ownership
proprietor
proprietorship
owner
possessive
patented
trademarked
possession
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Proprietary. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/proprietary