infrastructure
noun
in·fra·struc·ture
ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər 
-(ˌ)frä-
1
: the system of public works of a country, state, or region
also
: the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity
2
: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)
3
: the permanent installations required for military purposes
Did you know?
Infra- means "below;" so the infrastructure is the "underlying structure" of a country and its economy, the fixed installations that it needs in order to function. These include roads, bridges, dams, the water and sewer systems, railways and subways, airports, and harbors. These are generally government-built and publicly owned. Some people also speak about such things as the intellectual infrastructure or the infrastructure of science research, but the meaning of such notions can be extremely vague.
Examples of infrastructure in a Sentence
More money is needed to save the crumbling infrastructure of the nation's rural areas.
We need to spend more money on maintaining and repairing infrastructure.
Recent Examples on the Web
As party chief, Lam has led Vietnam’s biggest bureaucratic overhaul since the 1980s, cutting jobs, merging ministries, redrawing provincial boundaries and advancing major infrastructure projects.
—
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The service Service is efficient, with the infrastructure to support a resort of this scale.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Broadcom expanded its chip partnership with Google and Anthropic, underscoring surging demand for AI infrastructure.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Over a decades-long career, Collins played a key role in reshaping cable from a television delivery system into infrastructure capable of supporting broadband and digital services.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infrastructure
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The service Service is efficient, with the infrastructure to support a resort of this scale.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Broadcom expanded its chip partnership with Google and Anthropic, underscoring surging demand for AI infrastructure.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Over a decades-long career, Collins played a key role in reshaping cable from a television delivery system into infrastructure capable of supporting broadband and digital services.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infrastructure
Cite this Entry
“Infrastructure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infrastructure
noun
in·fra·struc·ture
ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər
1
: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)
2
: the system of public works of a country, state, or region
also
: the resources (as people, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
