factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 
plural factories
1
: a building or set of buildings with facilities for manufacturing
a car factory
—often used before another nounfactory workers
a factory building
—often used figurativelya college accused of being a diploma factory
2
archaic
: a station where factors reside and trade
a colonial factory
Examples of factory in a Sentence
She got a job in the factory.
the new factory will create hundreds of much-needed jobs
Recent Examples on the Web
These ancient factory workers might have lived onsite, according to what archaeologists could glean from these objects.
—
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 16 Nov. 2025
Major cancellations included battery storage and electric vehicle factories in multiple states, while the Department of Energy terminated nearly $8 billion in funding for more than 200 projects.
—Ivan Houlihan, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
There’s also calls for exports or factory relocations to come alongside greater levels of local investment, knowledge transfer and more balanced trade.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Antiaircraft fire kept the bombers so high, however, that aim was difficult to manage, and the bombs fell indiscriminately, destroying more than 4,300 homes while damaging three-quarters of the city's factories.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for factory
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Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 16 Nov. 2025
Major cancellations included battery storage and electric vehicle factories in multiple states, while the Department of Energy terminated nearly $8 billion in funding for more than 200 projects.
—Ivan Houlihan, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
There’s also calls for exports or factory relocations to come alongside greater levels of local investment, knowledge transfer and more balanced trade.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Antiaircraft fire kept the bombers so high, however, that aim was difficult to manage, and the bombs fell indiscriminately, destroying more than 4,300 homes while damaging three-quarters of the city's factories.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for factory
Cite this Entry
“Factory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/factory. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē
plural factories
: a building or set of buildings equipped for manufacturing
Etymology
from early French factorie "a place where business is carried on," derived from Latin factor "one that does or makes," from factus, past participle of facere "to make, do" — related to fashion, manufacture
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