MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in post-transcriptional regulation by targeting the 3' untranslated region of target genes that are involved in diverse biological processes. To the best of our knowledge, the association between miR‑152 and ERBB3 in ovarian cancer remains unclear. In the present study, a negative correlation between miR‑152 and ERBB3 in ovarian cancer was observed. The luciferase reporter gene assay results demonstrated that miR‑152 negatively regulated ERBB3 in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, our results revealed that miR‑152 suppressed the ability of ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis through inhibiting ERBB3 in vitro. Therefore, in the present study, miR‑152 was found to be involved in the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells through repression of ERBB3 expression. Therefore, miR‑152 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer.