industrial

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of industrialnext
1
: of or relating to industry
industrial development
He had an industrial accident. [=an accident at work]
2
: engaged in industry
the industrial classes
3
: characterized by highly developed industries
an industrial nation/region/city
4
: used in or developed for use in industry
industrial diamonds
also : heavy-duty
an industrial cleaner
5
: derived from human industry
industrial wealth

industrial

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: one that is employed in industry
b
: a company engaged in industrial production or service
2
: a stock or bond issued by an industrial corporation or enterprise

Examples of industrial in a Sentence

Adjective There are thousands of industrial uses for plastic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Amata positions its facilities as industrial cities that include not just factories, but also living facilities like housing, schools, hospitals and shopping malls. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 This north-central Alabama city was born in 1871, springing up after the Civil War as the South sought to rebuild a leveled economy with an industrial lifeline. — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
Cramer pointed to finance, housing, utilities, entertainment, retail, autos and industrials as sectors where companies or their customers depend heavily on credit. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Healthcare deal kickoffs increased 32%, while industrials and energy each increased 25%. — Rusty Wiley, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for industrial

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of industrial was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Industrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrial. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

industrial

adjective
in·​dus·​tri·​al
in-ˈdəs-trē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or engaged in industry
2
: having highly developed industries
an industrial nation
3
: coming from or used in industry
industrial diamonds
industrially
-trē-ə-lē
adverb

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