factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 
plural factories
1
: a building or set of buildings with facilities for manufacturing
a car factory
—often used before another nounfactory workers
a factory building
—often used figurativelya college accused of being a diploma factory
2
archaic
: a station where factors reside and trade
a colonial factory
Examples of factory in a Sentence
She got a job in the factory.
the new factory will create hundreds of much-needed jobs
Recent Examples on the Web
Kyiv has persistently targeted various types of sites linked to Moscow's military industry, from fuel depots to refineries funding its war effort to chemical factories grinding out supplies for ammunition.
—
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
His parents ran a luncheonette and rooming house near factories whose immigrant workers came in to eat.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The company is already exploring applications in other high-volume settings such as hospitals, universities, and factories, and has even partnered with Ukraine’s BRAVE1 defense technology program to test autonomous meal preparation for soldiers in the field.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025
Democratic lawmakers warn that cancelling Energy Department funding risks driving up utility bills and slowing economic growth at a time when new data centers and factories are expected to increase electricity demand for the first time in decades.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for factory
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Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
His parents ran a luncheonette and rooming house near factories whose immigrant workers came in to eat.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The company is already exploring applications in other high-volume settings such as hospitals, universities, and factories, and has even partnered with Ukraine’s BRAVE1 defense technology program to test autonomous meal preparation for soldiers in the field.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025
Democratic lawmakers warn that cancelling Energy Department funding risks driving up utility bills and slowing economic growth at a time when new data centers and factories are expected to increase electricity demand for the first time in decades.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for factory
Cite this Entry
“Factory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/factory. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē
plural factories
: a building or set of buildings equipped for manufacturing
Etymology
from early French factorie "a place where business is carried on," derived from Latin factor "one that does or makes," from factus, past participle of facere "to make, do" — related to fashion, manufacture
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