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
Workers check vehicle frames on the production line for electric vehicle maker Zeekr at its factory on May 29, 2025 in Ningbo, China.
—
Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
Rather than focusing on complex assembly tasks, the deployment currently targets specific industrial activities such as material handling and intra-logistics, where humanoid mobility and flexibility can be used in existing factory layouts.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
Volkswagen inks Iron Dome deal in defense pivot Volkswagen is pivoting from cars to military tech at one of its factories, a reflection of the challenges facing Germany’s auto sector.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The 25–30 Columbia Heights complex is composed of five buildings that originally made up the Squibb Plant, built by the Squibb pharmaceutical company as a factory that produced mineral oil and vitamins among other medical products.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for factory
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Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
Rather than focusing on complex assembly tasks, the deployment currently targets specific industrial activities such as material handling and intra-logistics, where humanoid mobility and flexibility can be used in existing factory layouts.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
Volkswagen inks Iron Dome deal in defense pivot Volkswagen is pivoting from cars to military tech at one of its factories, a reflection of the challenges facing Germany’s auto sector.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The 25–30 Columbia Heights complex is composed of five buildings that originally made up the Squibb Plant, built by the Squibb pharmaceutical company as a factory that produced mineral oil and vitamins among other medical products.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for factory
Cite this Entry
“Factory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/factory. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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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