industrialization
Americannoun
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the large-scale introduction of manufacturing, advanced technical enterprises, and other productive economic activity into an area, society, country, etc.
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conversion to the methods, aims, and ideals of industry and economic activity, particularly of an area that was previously underdeveloped economically.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of industrialization
Explanation
Industrialization occurs when industry is introduced on a large scale to a region or country — for example, when an economy goes from being based on agriculture to being based on manufacturing and other industries. In Europe and the United States, industrialization occurred in the 1700s and 1800s, with the changes beginning in Britain. This period is called the Industrial Revolution. Textile manufacturing became mechanized, transportation (canals, railroads, and road systems) became more efficient, and steam power was introduced. Goods became more accessible and cheaper.
Vocabulary lists containing industrialization
The Industrial Revolution - Introductory
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The United States
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American History II
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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.
The move came as Ford created a new “product creation and industrialization organization to scale next-generation vehicles and technology.”
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
The modern era is full of those predicting that the industrialization of the housing industry is just a few years away, only to be proved wrong.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026
“There was a time,” he says, “when communism was plausible, with its industrialization, with factories, with machines.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
Central banks and individuals have been allocating to gold as a safe haven during periods of geopolitical instability, while silver and copper play a crucial role in industrialization and the AI race.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
To that end, the report recommended the industrialization of the African areas, noting that any program of development that did not aim at providing opportunities for Africans in their own regions was doomed to failure.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
