assembly-line

1 of 2

adjective

as·​sem·​bly-line ə-ˈsem-blē-ˌlīn How to pronounce assembly-line (audio)
: made by or as if by an assembly line
especially : lacking originality or creativity
bored by the novel's assembly-line plot

assembly line

2 of 2

noun

1
: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled
2
: a process for turning out a finished product in a mechanically efficient manner
academic assembly lines

Examples of assembly-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Magy showed Axios how the drones are made in a matter of hours, how finished sections snap together by hand and the assembly-line guts of xCell, the company's air-liftable containers. Colin Demarest, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025 The discovery of electrons, aka electricity, was the major driving force of the second industrial revolution, leading to more efficient mass-production techniques in the form of assembly-line production and the rise of the steel, automobile, and telecommunications industries. Sarwant Singh, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
Common causes include typing on a keyboard, working on an assembly line, playing musical instruments, and doing agricultural labor. Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 Feb. 2025 The ad for the then-struggling automaker, which aired during Super Bowl 41 between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears, features a robot that struggles with depression and existential angst after learning its services are no longer needed on the assembly line. Matthew Pittman, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for assembly-line 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1925, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of assembly-line was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near assembly-line

assembly line

assembly-line

assemblyman

Cite this Entry

“Assembly-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assembly-line. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

assembly line

noun
: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled

More from Merriam-Webster on assembly-line

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