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 capital-intensive car business relies on economies of scale, which is why the world has so few major automakers. —Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025

That means shifting away from low-return, capital-intensive volume and doubling down on higher-margin areas like small and midsized businesses, health care logistics, and B2B delivery. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025

Greater collaboration between Nigerian and South African firms could strengthen capital-intensive industries such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and steel and attract more foreign direct investment in both countries. —Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025

Similarly, most capital-intensive textile machinery has not been made in the United States for nearly two decades. —Kimberly Glas, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

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