infrastructure

noun

in·​fra·​struc·​ture ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər 

-(ˌ)frä-

1

: the system of public works of a country, state, or region

also : the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity

2

: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

3

: the permanent installations required for military purposes

infrastructural

ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chə-rəl  -ˌstrək-shrəl 

-(ˌ)frä-

adjective

Did you know?

Infra- means "below;" so the infrastructure is the "underlying structure" of a country and its economy, the fixed installations that it needs in order to function. These include roads, bridges, dams, the water and sewer systems, railways and subways, airports, and harbors. These are generally government-built and publicly owned. Some people also speak about such things as the intellectual infrastructure or the infrastructure of science research, but the meaning of such notions can be extremely vague.

Synonyms of infrastructure

• structure
• architecture
• framework

Examples of infrastructure in a Sentence

More money is needed to save the crumbling infrastructure of the nation's rural areas.

We need to spend more money on maintaining and repairing infrastructure.

Recent Examples on the Web

For Meta, the partnership is critical for its rapidly expanding infrastructure as the company builds some of the most advanced data centers in the world, said Dan Sachs, vice president of public policy for Meta. —Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2026

Priorities remaining this year include boosting community engagement through surveys and website additions, developing strategic plans for village parks and recreation facilities and seeking funding for infrastructure improvements, Dodge said. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

Opponents said the proposal should be scaled back, citing concerns about traffic, infrastructure, flooding risks, potential toxic exposure and affordability. —Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Threats to critical infrastructure, from oil facilities to desalination plants – could also affect energy- and water-intensive data centers. —John Liu, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for infrastructure

• macrostructure
• microstructure
• nanostructure
• superstructure
• ultrastructure
• restructure
• substructure
• structure

Kids Definition

infrastructure

noun

in·​fra·​struc·​ture ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər 

1

: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

2

: the system of public works of a country, state, or region

also : the resources (as people, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity