infrastructure

noun

in·fra·struc·ture | \ ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər,

-(ˌ)frä-\

Definition of infrastructure

1 : the system of public works of a country, state, or region also : the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity

2 : the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

3 : the permanent installations required for military purposes

Other Words from infrastructure Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about infrastructure

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Did You Know?

Infra- means "below;" so the infrastructure is the "underlying structure" of a country and its economy, the fixed installations that it needs in order to function. These include roads, bridges, dams, the water and sewer systems, railways and subways, airports, and harbors. These are generally government-built and publicly owned. Some people also speak about such things as the intellectual infrastructure or the infrastructure of science research, but the meaning of such notions can be extremely vague.

Examples of infrastructure in a Sentence

More money is needed to save the crumbling infrastructure of the nation's rural areas. We need to spend more money on maintaining and repairing infrastructure.

Recent Examples on the Web

The annual event—previously called the J/P HRO gala—raises funds to support aid and infrastructure initiatives in Haiti, and last night saw the evening tally more than $3.5 million. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Sean Penn Hosts His Pre-Globes CORE Gala and Raises More Than $3 Million for Haiti Relief," 6 Jan. 2019 Simply delivering recyclables to a sorting facility requires a transport infrastructure that completely parallels one that handles non-recyclable trash. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Bikes, bowling balls, and the delicate balancing act that is modern recycling," 31 Dec. 2018 The need for such weapons first arose during the 1991 Gulf War, when U.S. and Coalition forces realized Saddam Hussein had buried much of Iraq’s command, control, and communications infrastructure in underground bunkers. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Watch a Stealth Bomber Drop Two of World’s Largest Conventional Bombs," 27 Dec. 2018 One is creating appropriate waste collecting and recycling infrastructure for existing plastic goods in the market to guarantee responsible disposal. — Tabor Wordelman, Teen Vogue, "You Can't Just "Clean Up" the Plastic in the Ocean. Here's Why.," 18 Dec. 2018 Cortina Kicks Into High Gear The Tofana area of this Dolomites destination will host the World Ski Championships in 2021 and improvements are already underway, with pistes and snowmaking capabilities expanding and infrastructure improving. — Andrew Sessa, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Biggest Ski News in Europe This Season," 6 Dec. 2018 American infrastructure is rated a D+ and Michigan is no exception. — Sarah Kunst, Marie Claire, "Gretchen Whitmer Is Ready for the Top Job," 7 Nov. 2018 Roem has focused on transportation issues in her district and advocated for infrastructure dollars to be better allocated across the state. — Mattie Kahn, Glamour, "9 Times Being a Woman in 2018 Was Genuinely Powerful," 30 Oct. 2018 Democratic leaders also pointed to spending increases on biomedical research and child care, as well as funding for infrastructure that could be used for the Gateway Tunnel project between New York and New Jersey. — Adam Shaw, Fox News, "House approves $1.3 trillion spending bill; measure moves to Senate," 2 Oct. 2018

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