factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 
plural factories
1
: a building or set of buildings with facilities for manufacturing
a car factory
—often used before another nounfactory workers
a factory building
—often used figurativelya college accused of being a diploma factory
2
archaic
: a station where factors reside and trade
a colonial factory
Examples of factory in a Sentence
She got a job in the factory.
the new factory will create hundreds of much-needed jobs
Recent Examples on the Web
Shortages of feedstocks for plastics have forced Asian countries to cut back on production or shut down factories altogether.
—
David Goldman, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
In the factory, the machines are collecting real-world data to learn practical tasks, including stocking parts for assembly technicians, performing basic warehousing and logistics operations.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Building this way can be cheaper than building on site, and Mahan would support the creation of modular housing factories by providing incentives for their construction.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
This was another knife with a slightly less sharp factory edge that needed several passes on a honing rod.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for factory
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David Goldman, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
In the factory, the machines are collecting real-world data to learn practical tasks, including stocking parts for assembly technicians, performing basic warehousing and logistics operations.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Building this way can be cheaper than building on site, and Mahan would support the creation of modular housing factories by providing incentives for their construction.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
This was another knife with a slightly less sharp factory edge that needed several passes on a honing rod.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for factory
Cite this Entry
“Factory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/factory. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
factory
noun
fac·to·ry
ˈfak-t(ə-)rē
plural factories
: a building or set of buildings equipped for manufacturing
Etymology
from early French factorie "a place where business is carried on," derived from Latin factor "one that does or makes," from factus, past participle of facere "to make, do" — related to fashion, manufacture
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