industry

noun in·dus·try \ ˈin-(ˌ)də-strē \

Updated on: 15 May 2018

Definition of industry

plural industries

1 : diligence in an employment or pursuit; especially : steady or habitual effort

2 a : systematic labor especially for some useful purpose or the creation of something of value

b : a department or branch of a craft, art, business, or manufacture; especially : one that employs a large personnel and capital especially in manufacturing

c : a distinct group of productive or profit-making enterprises

the banking industry

d : manufacturing activity as a whole

the nation's industry

3 : work devoted to the study of a particular subject or author

the Shakespeare industry

See industry defined for English-language learners

See industry defined for kids

Examples of industry in a Sentence

He favors policies that promote industry.
She invested in several large industries.
She became so popular that a whole industry grew up around her and her image.

Recent Examples of industry from the Web

On a more Trump-specific level, the president is a real estate mogul, and the real estate industry generally wants rates to be low so borrowing costs for new projects stay that way, too.

— emily stewart, Vox, "Trump doesn’t respect the independence of any institution around him," 12 May 2018
Mexico is of course closer to the U.S., and the way the industry works is closer to North America's than Latin America's — the films are bigger, the budgets are bigger, the funding is industrial, there are tax incentives.

— john anderson, latimes.com, "Latin American cinema offers untapped riches just south of the North American border," 11 May 2018
For this reason, the nursery industry needs to be aware, if bringing in hemlocks for landscaping, of the origin of their shipments, Kritsky said.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "The latest invasive insect has 'sucking mouthparts' that kill hemlock trees," 11 May 2018
The entertainment industry is evolving, especially in light of recent high-profile stories involving gender pay equality.

— karen pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Elm Grove comedienne Mary Gallagher to appear on 'Colbert' May 18," 11 May 2018
Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is concentrated in its eastern sections, and the industry is hoping to extend exploration to the central and western Gulf.

— james osborne, San Antonio Express-News, "Easing the way offshore," 11 May 2018
End the patent games Patent protection for new drugs is vital, the industry insists, to allow drugmakers to recoup the millions of dollars invested in researching and developing lifesaving products.

— katie thomas, New York Times, "6 Takeaways From Trump’s Plans to Try to Lower Drug Prices," 11 May 2018
When research began on the Spanish certificate program last year, ECC learned the industries seeking the highest number of bilingual employees in the Chicago area were health care and social assistance.

— rafael guerrero, Elgin Courier-News, "Elgin Community College to offer Spanish certificate program for medical personnel this fall," 11 May 2018
The newspaper industry is partly a victim of outmoded business models, wherein Google and Facebook have in recent years replaced Craigslist as the big baddie stealing all of our ad revenue.

— john wenzel, The Atlantic, "The Gutting of The Denver Post is a Death Knell for Local News," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'industry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of industry

Middle English (Scots) industrie, from Middle French, from Latin industria, from industrius diligent, from Old Latin indostruus, perhaps from indu in + -struus (akin to Latin struere to build) — more at end-, strew

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

industry Synonyms

Synonyms

assiduity, assiduousness, diligence, industriousness, sedulousness;

Near Antonyms

carelessness, negligence, slackness;

idleness, indolence, laziness;

doggedness, perseverance, persistence, tenacity, tirelessness;

bother, effort, effortfulness, pains, painstaking, trouble;

Synonym Discussion of industry

business, commerce, trade, industry, traffic mean activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities. business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions. commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities. industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale. traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.