industrial

1 of 2

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​al in-ˈdə-strē-əl How to pronounce industrial (audio)
1
: of or relating to industry
2
: engaged in industry
the industrial classes
3
: characterized by highly developed industries
an industrial nation
4
: used in or developed for use in industry
industrial diamonds
also : heavy-duty
an industrial zipper
5
: derived from human industry
industrial wealth
industrially adverb

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
The white metal stands to benefit from its dual role as both a precious and industrial metal. Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 While similar fabrics had been made for millennia, towelling in its modern form came about in 1850, when the English towel manufacturer Christy found a way to produce the looped fabric on an industrial scale. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 14 July 2025
Noun
Top sectors so far in 2025 The industrials are up around 12% in 2025. Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 30 June 2025 The Nasdaq is up less than 1% while the DJIA (industrials) and the Russell 2000 (small cap) are underwater year to date (with the Russell 2000 off more than -5%). Robert Barone, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 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 18 Jul. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on industrial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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