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
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
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
From textile workers in the Industrial Revolution to assembly-line workers in the age of robotics, once-stable fields have repeatedly lost out to technological innovation, while social policy has lagged far behind.
—Ross Benjamin, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 11 Nov. 2025
The mass of public officials and volunteers unloaded and passed about 1,200 turkeys into the food bank Thursday morning in a lively assembly line.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assembly-line
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
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
From textile workers in the Industrial Revolution to assembly-line workers in the age of robotics, once-stable fields have repeatedly lost out to technological innovation, while social policy has lagged far behind.
—Ross Benjamin, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
The actual gold medal was presented last year in Washington to all the women who collectively became known as Rosies, a moniker from a 1942 hit song and a 1944 movie about a character on the assembly line nicknamed Rosie the Riveter.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 11 Nov. 2025
The mass of public officials and volunteers unloaded and passed about 1,200 turkeys into the food bank Thursday morning in a lively assembly line.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assembly-line
Cite this Entry
“Assembly-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assembly-line. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share