capital-intensive

adjective

cap·​i·​tal-in·​ten·​sive ˈka-pə-tᵊl- in-ˈten(t)-siv 

ˈkap-tᵊl-

: having a high capital cost per unit of output

especially : requiring greater expenditure in the form of capital than of labor

Examples of capital-intensive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sprawling business model that competitors once envied had become a liability—unwieldy, capital-intensive, and increasingly unable to compete in focused, fast-moving markets. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 July 2026

The companies offering them tend to be capital-light, like marketers and insurers, rather than capital-intensive, like airlines and hotel chains. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Extending the life of an existing nuclear plant is generally less capital-intensive than constructing a new one from the ground up. — Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026

The decision to use AMD graphics processors is part of an effort to ensure price competitiveness in the capital-intensive autonomous driving arena. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for capital-intensive

• antihypertensive
• apprehensive
• coextensive
• comprehensive
• hypertensive
• hypotensive
• inexpensive
• inoffensive
• normotensive
• counteroffensive
• defensive
• expensive