heavy industry

American  

[he-vee in-duh-stree] / ˈhɛ vi ˈɪn də stri /

noun

heavy industries plural

1. a manufacturing sector or activity that uses relatively large amounts of power, equipment, and space, typically having a significant environmental impact and producing raw materials or large-scale industrial goods such as steel, cement, or chemicals (contrasted with light industry).

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Other Word Forms

• heavy industrial
  adjective
• heavy-industry
  adjective

Example Sentences

An 85-mile stretch of Louisiana, running southeast from Baton Rouge, hosts such a concentration of heavy industry that it long ago garnered the nickname “Cancer Alley.”

From Salon • May 10, 2026

"A lot of people think that asbestos is a historical problem caused by heavy industry, Rick's case really does prove that's not the case," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Making its production cleaner and more competitive with fossil based hydrogen could accelerate its use not only in heavy industry, but also as a way to store excess renewable energy.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

As the traditional cradle of Chinese heavy industry, the region provides the industrial backbone for advanced naval and aerospace production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

This territory contained a quarter of Russia’s population, a third of its agricultural land, and about half of its heavy industry.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman