Meaning & use
production
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Meanings
noununcountable
The process of making goods, usually in large amounts, or the amount that is made.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: oil production is up.
Patterns
- production of something
- in production
- increase production
The factory increased production of electric cars.
Food production depends on good weather.
The new model goes into production next spring.
nouncountable
A play, film, show or other work that is prepared and presented to an audience.
Grammar: Countable for a single show: a school production of Hamlet.
Patterns
- a production of something
- a stage production
The school staged a production of a famous musical.
The film's production cost millions.
We saw a wonderful production at the local theater.
noununcountableformal
The act of showing or presenting something, such as a document or proof.
Grammar: Formal; often with of: production of identification.
Patterns
- production of something
Entry requires production of a valid passport.
The production of evidence took several weeks.
The court ordered the production of all records.
nounsingularinformal
A fuss or a complicated, unnecessary amount of effort over something simple.
Grammar: Informal; usually with make a: make a production of something.
Patterns
- make a production of something
He made a big production of choosing a seat.
Don't make a production of it; just say thank you.
Getting everyone into the car became a production.
Word forms
| plural | productions |
|---|
Common combinations
- mass production
- Mass production made cars cheap enough for ordinary families.
- go into production
- The toy will go into production in March.
- increase production
- Farmers increased production to meet demand.
- a stage production
- The stage production ran for six months.
- production line
- Workers on the production line check every part.
Synonyms and how they differ
- manufacture
- Manufacture means making goods in a factory, whereas production can also cover crops, films and shows.
- output
- Output stresses the amount produced, and production stresses the process.
- creation
- Creation suggests making something new or artistic, while production sounds more organized and large-scale.
- staging
- Staging is the act of putting on a performance, while production can be the finished show itself.
Opposites
Word family
- produce verb
- to make or create something
- producer noun
- a person or company that makes goods or shows
- product noun
- something that is made
- productive adjective
- producing a lot, or achieving a lot
- productivity noun
- the rate at which work is done
Commonly confused: production or product?
production vs product
A product is the thing that is made, while production is the process of making it or the amount made.
Practice
The factory plans to double its ___ of bicycles next year.
Choose one answer.
After its and before of, a noun for the process of making is needed, so production is correct. Product would mean a single item, and produce and productive are the wrong forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “production”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.