industrial

American  

[in-duhs-tree-uhl] / ɪnˈdʌs tri əl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, of the nature of, or resulting from industry.

   industrial production; industrial waste.

2. having many and highly developed industries.

   an industrial nation.

3. engaged in an industry or industries.

   industrial workers.

4. of or relating to the workers in industries.

   industrial training.

5. used in industry.

   industrial diamonds: industrial fabrics.

6. noting or pertaining to industrial life insurance.

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noun

1. an industrial product.

   diamonds classed as industrials and nonindustrials.

2. a company engaged in industrial enterprises.

3. an employee in some industry, especially a manufacturing industry.

4. industrials, stocks and bonds of industrial companies.

industrial British  

/ ɪnˈdʌstrɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of industry

2. employed in industry

   the industrial workforce

3. relating to or concerned with workers in industry

   industrial conditions

4. used in industry

   industrial chemicals

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Other Word Forms

• industrially adverb
• industrialness noun
• nonindustrial adjective
• nonindustrially adverb
• preindustrial adjective
• proindustrial adjective
• quasi-industrial adjective
• quasi-industrially adverb
• semi-industrial adjective
• semi-industrially adverb
• unindustrial adjective

Etymology

Origin of industrial

First recorded in 1580–90; industry + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Strikes by all sides have increasingly targeted economic and industrial sites, raising fears of wider disruption to global energy supplies.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

As the lake’s water sources diminish because of water use agreements regarding the Colorado River, and as this region gains more industrial activity from proposed lithium extraction, air pollution is likely to only worsen.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Otherwise, he reverts to various forms of industrial policy, such as requiring foreign companies to form partnerships with German firms as a cost of entry into the European market and the like.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

The researchers suggest that existing industrial fryers could be upgraded with microwave generators, which are relatively low cost and widely available.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Because TB was largely concentrated in poor countries, the industrial nations and pharmaceutical companies had all but abandoned the search for new technologies to fight MDR.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Related Words

• industrialized
• mechanical
• modern
• technical