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
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
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025
The company says volume production ramped up in mid-November, with the first batch already sent to partners seeking extra labor for assembly lines.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assembly-line
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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
China’s government has spent decades promoting investments in housing, factories, and infrastructure—investments that enabled China’s rapid growth but that have also left the economy burdened by apartments and assembly lines that well exceed demand.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025
The company says volume production ramped up in mid-November, with the first batch already sent to partners seeking extra labor for assembly lines.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 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 12 Dec. 2025.
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