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Agency Dictionary

stakeholder

nounPronunciation: /ˈsteɪkˌhoʊl.dər/

In Portuguese: stakeholder

What does “stakeholder” mean?

A person or group with an interest in a project or an organization and affected by its results, such as clients, managers, investors or users.

Etymology

A compound of stake and holder. Stake is an old Germanic word for a post driven into the ground, already present in Old English as staca; it later came to mean the money put up in a wager and, from that, a share or interest in an enterprise. A stakeholder was at first the person who holds the stakes of a bet. The sense of anyone with an interest in a company or project, and affected by its results, spread through business and management writing.

Usage note

Business and project-management jargon. In plain writing it is often clearer to name the groups meant: customers, staff, investors, residents.

Synonyms

  • participant
  • party

Often confused with

shareholder
A shareholder owns shares in a company; a stakeholder is anyone affected by it, including employees, customers and neighbours.

Word family

  • stake
  • holder
  • stakeholding

Rhymes with

  • older
  • colder
  • shoulder
  • boulder

Usage examples

  • They are responsible for translating the ideas and problems coming from stakeholders to understand their goals, target audience, and messaging requirements.

    Design.3 - The Disciplines of Design

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

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An analytical determination or judgment identifying the underlying nature, cause, or source of a problem.
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Also from these editions: terms

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pain pointnoun
A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
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A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
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In Norse mythology, the hammer of the god Thor, forged by dwarfs and known for its short handle. It is the weapon with which he defends gods and humans.
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The repetition of a process or procedure in order to generate an improved version or achieve a desired outcome.
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A sequence of illustrated panels and captions used to pre-visualize a motion picture, animation, or commercial narrative. It outlines camera angles, character movements, and scene timings before filming or animation begins.
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Also from these editions: concepts

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Cite this entry

“stakeholder”. Agency Wiki, Agency Brasil. Published on November 11, 2026. https://www.agencybrasil.com/en/wiki/dictionary/stakeholder