industrious
Americanadjective
-
working energetically and devotedly; hardworking; diligent.
an industrious person.
- Synonyms:
- energetic, tireless, sedulous, persevering, assiduous
-
Obsolete. skillful.
adjective
-
hard-working, diligent, or assiduous
-
an obsolete word for skilful
Synonym Usage
See busy.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of industrious
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French industrie “cleverness, skill,” from Old French industrie “contrivance, device,” from Latin industrius “diligent, assiduous”; equivalent to indo-, by-form of in- “in” ( see in- 2 ( def. ) + -struus, noun derivative of struere “to arrange, devise, build”
Explanation
If someone comments that you are very industrious, they are complimenting you for working hard and tirelessly. You can have the evening to yourself if you're industrious enough during the afternoon to get your homework and chores done. The word industrious is closely related to the word industry, used for both the quality of being hardworking, “He is a model of industry,” as well as a field of business, "the construction industry." It might help to remember the Industrial Revolution, the time when machinery was introduced to the manufacturing world. If you're industrious, you work as hard as machines do!
Vocabulary lists containing industrious
Labor Day Lexicon: Words That Put You To Work
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Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Grade 9, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It is a remarkable, remarkable day,” said Evan Gillespie, partner at the decarbonization nonprofit Industrious Labs, during the news conference.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025
The writer is the steel director at Industrious Labs, an advocacy organization focused on decarbonizing heavy industry.
From Washington Post • Feb. 3, 2023
“It’s just so disappointing to see a project like this fall through,” said Annie Sartor, who leads the aluminum campaign at Industrious Labs, an advocacy group working to decarbonize industry.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 20, 2022
Start-ups are flocking to spaces like WeWork, the national chain, as well as smaller co-working companies with more elaborate designs like the San Francisco-based Canopy and the New York-based Industrious.
From New York Times • May 17, 2022
Industrious and popular in public life, his private life was blameless; and although a strong Roman Catholic he was less fanatical than his father.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
