assembly-line

1 of 2

adjective

as·​sem·​bly-line ə-ˈsem-blē-ˌlīn 

: made by or as if by an assembly line

especially : lacking originality or creativity

bored by the novel's assembly-line plot

assembly line

2 of 2

noun

1

: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled

2

: a process for turning out a finished product in a mechanically efficient manner

academic assembly lines

Examples of assembly-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

After four seasons of an assembly-line approach to maximalism — attach loads of nostalgia here, plug in decadent CGI there, retcon the plot throughout — the show’s budget is huge and the final eight episodes are supersized. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025

This is still a Hollywood spectacle, complete with explosions and celebrities and deep-cut needle drops, slick enough to keep Paramount happy without ruffling in-house censors’ feathers yet cool enough to not seem like an assembly-line product. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025

Noun

Perfecting the assembly line brought the cost of Ford’s Model T from $30,000 (in today’s terms) in 1908 to $5,000. —Scott D. Anthony, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025

Visitors can peep through the glass to see an assembly line of staff decorating each sticky round with nuts and fruits. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1925, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for assembly-line

• aconitine
• adamantine
• anopheline
• bromocriptine
• chlorhexidine
• clomipramine
• creatinine
• desipramine
• guanethidine
• heterodyne
• imipramine
• meperidine

Kids Definition

assembly line

noun

: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled