Meaning & use
industrial
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to industry, especially the manufacturing of goods in factories.
Grammar: Used before a noun: industrial area, industrial production.
Patterns
- industrial area
- industrial production
- industrial revolution
The city has a large industrial area on its outskirts.
Industrial production increased by 5% last year.
Many jobs were lost during the industrial decline.
adjectivebefore a noun
Having a strong, rough, or machine-made style, often used to describe design or music.
Grammar: Used before a noun: industrial design, industrial music.
Patterns
- industrial design
- industrial music
- industrial style
The apartment has an industrial look with exposed pipes and concrete walls.
She likes industrial music with heavy beats.
The furniture was made in an industrial style.
Word forms
| comparative | more industrial |
|---|---|
| superlative | most industrial |
Common combinations
- industrial revolution
- The Industrial Revolution changed how goods were made.
- industrial waste
- The river was polluted by industrial waste.
- industrial action
- The workers voted for industrial action over pay.
- industrial estate
- The company moved to a new industrial estate.
Synonyms and how they differ
- manufacturing
- Focuses specifically on making goods; industrial is broader and can include mining, energy, and other sectors.
- factory-made
- Describes products made in a factory; industrial describes the whole sector or a style.
Opposites
Word family
- industry noun
- The production of goods in factories, or a particular branch of business.
- industrialize verb
- To develop industry in a country or region.
- industrialization noun
- The process of developing industry.
- industrialist noun
- A person who owns or manages a large industry.
Commonly confused: industrial or industrious?
industrial vs industrious
Industrious means hard-working, while industrial means related to industry.
Practice
The government is investing in ______ production to boost the economy.
Choose one answer.
Industrial production is the correct phrase for manufacturing output. Industrious means hard-working and does not fit; industrialized is an adjective but usually describes a country, not production; industrialization is a noun and cannot modify production.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “industrial”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.