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

These evoke the detailed, all-encompassing assembly-line mural by Diego Rivera at the Detroit Institute of Arts. —Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025

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

Noun

In production settings, that buffer feeds directly into a ball-bearing assembly line. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026

People stationed themselves around the dining room table in an assembly line. —Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026

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