INDUSTRY Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'industry' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of industry are business , commerce , trade , and traffic . While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

Q: When might 'business' be a better fit than 'industry'?

While the synonyms business and industry are close in meaning, 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.

Q: How do 'commerce' and 'trade' relate to one another, in the sense of 'industry'?

Both commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

Q: When could 'traffic' be used to replace 'industry'?

The meanings of traffic and industry largely overlap; however, traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

industry

noun

ˈin-(ˌ)də-strē

Definition of industry next

as in effort

attentive and persistent effort he isn't the smartest kid in class, but he gets the best grades by determined industry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word industry distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of industry are business, commerce, trade, and traffic. While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

When might business be a better fit than industry?

While the synonyms business and industry are close in meaning, 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.

How do commerce and trade relate to one another, in the sense of industry?

Both commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

When could traffic be used to replace industry?

The meanings of traffic and industry largely overlap; however, traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of industry Blackman said Near Southside is an interesting submarket for Fort Worth’s hospitality industry, and there’s enough demand in the area to warrant additional hotels. —

Kate Marijolovic, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2025 However, policies such as import tariffs and mass deportation could negatively impact housing prices, as these factors directly affect labor and material costs—two major inputs in the housing industry. —

Robert Thorpe, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025 Biden, 82, pushed through major pieces of legislation to unleash historic infrastructure spending, a resurgence of clean-energy factories and investments in the microchip industry to catch up to China, while also renewing ties with the country's international allies. —

Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025 That will ultimately be good for US industry, US innovators, US workers. —

Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for industry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for industry

Noun

TikTok mounted a last-ditch effort at the Supreme Court on Friday meant to stop a ban of the app set to take effect within days -- but the platform's arguments may have landed with a thud.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2025
Protecting those at-risk people from severe effects of respiratory illness and norovirus requires a group effort, said Mohammed Raja, MD, assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

— John Loeppky, Verywell Health, 11 Jan. 2025