Antitrust

Full definition of antitrust

Adjective

1. (legal) Opposed to or against the establishment or existence of trusts (monopolies), usually referring to legislation.
   The regulators used antitrust laws to block the merger, believing it would eliminate competition.
• 2014-03-15, Turn it off, If the takeover is approved, Comcast would control 20 of the top 25 cable markets, …. Antitrust officials will need to consider Comcast’s status as a monopsony (a buyer with disproportionate power), when it comes to negotiations with programmers, whose channels it pays to carry.

Usage notes

In the United States, laws that prohibit monopolies are called antitrust laws; in other parts of the world, such laws are generally referred to as antimonopoly laws or competition laws.