production

American  

[pruh-duhk-shuhn] / prəˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

productions plural

1. the act of producing; creation; manufacture.

2. something that is produced; a product.

3. Economics. the creation of value; the producing of articles having exchange value.

4. the total amount produced.

   Production is up this month.

5. a work of literature or art.

6. the act of presenting for display; presentation; exhibition.

   the production of evidence in support of the case.

   Synonyms:

   materialization, display, appearance, introduction

7. Informal. an unnecessarily or exaggeratedly complicated situation or activity.

   That child makes a production out of going to bed.

8. the organization and presentation of a dramatic entertainment.

9. the entertainment itself.

   an expensive production.

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adjective

1. regularly manufactured; not custom-made, specially produced, or experimental.

   a production model.

production British  

/ prəˈdʌkʃən /

noun

1. the act of producing

2. anything that is produced; product

3. the amount produced or the rate at which it is produced

4. economics the creation or manufacture for sale of goods and services with exchange value

5. any work created as a result of literary or artistic effort

6. the organization and presentation of a film, play, opera, etc

7. the artistic direction of a play

8. 1. the supervision of the arrangement, recording, and mixing of a record

   2. the overall sound quality or character of a recording

      the material is very strong but the production is poor

9. (modifier) manufactured by a mass-production process

   a production model of a car

10. informal to make an unnecessary fuss about

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonproduction
  noun
• superproduction
  noun
• productional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• productions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of production

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin prōductiōn-, stem of prōductiō “extension, lengthening”; equivalent to product + -ion

Explanation

Production is the process of goods being made or manufactured. If people like the cupcakes you sell about school events, you might have to increase production by baking in both your kitchen and your neighbor's. Anything that's made or grown is the result of production, from the harvesting of grains, vegetables, and fruits to the drilling of oil. Even your crafty friend handles the production of the handmade bookmarks she sells. Another common meaning of production is the work that goes into the making of a movie, play, or album. From this meaning comes the phrase make a production of, to do something in an overly complicated, or theatrical, way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

production productions

Wiens noted US consumers also saw the cost of eggs skyrocket after a bird flu outbreak disrupted production, and argued that supply management helped shield Canadians from similar price spikes.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The company said it started volume production of its autonomous Cybercab, which doesn’t have a steering wheel or pedals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Tesla described progress on expansion initiatives as in line with plans, saying it began production of its "Cybercab" vehicle in Texas and that production of the Tesla Semi truck "remains on track" for 2026.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

“The Commission found that, at film production level, enough film studios remain as competitors,” the European Commission said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Concern about the future was rooted not only in seasonal cycles of production, but also in the fundamental uncertainty of agriculture.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Once wary of artificial intelligence, Hollywood is now striking up partnerships with AI start-ups and weaving the technology into productions more and more openly -- all while insisting the creative process itself will remain untouched.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The opening “Hit the Wall” begins with a gentle repeating synth pulse and spare piano chords, dropping us into the familiar world of Mr. Dessner’s productions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Grisetti, who also directed various musical productions, notably brought his talent and experience to Cal State Fullerton and Loyola Marymount University, teaching acting, musical theater and business.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Having starred in student productions of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Neill instead decided to embark on an acting career.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

For that movie, he used actors who had played roles in the War of the Worlds broadcast and other Mercury radio and theatre productions.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• construction
• management
• manufacture
• manufacturing