INDUSTRY Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'industry' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of industry are business , commerce , trade , and traffic . While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

Q: When might 'business' be a better fit than 'industry'?

While the synonyms business and industry are close in meaning, business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

Q: How do 'commerce' and 'trade' relate to one another, in the sense of 'industry'?

Both commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

Q: When could 'traffic' be used to replace 'industry'?

The meanings of traffic and industry largely overlap; however, traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

industry

noun

ˈin-(ˌ)də-strē

Definition of industry

as in effort

attentive and persistent effort he isn't the smartest kid in class, but he gets the best grades by determined industry

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How is the word industry distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of industry are business, commerce, trade, and traffic. While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

When might business be a better fit than industry?

While the synonyms business and industry are close in meaning, business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

How do commerce and trade relate to one another, in the sense of industry?

Both commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

When could traffic be used to replace industry?

The meanings of traffic and industry largely overlap; however, traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of industry My colleague, Cerys Davies, has written about the industry’s mad dash to find the next internet stories that can be transformed into box office phenoms. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Auto industry analysts have already declared the death of the sub-$20,000 car in the United States as new car prices continue to rise, and cars that cost less than $30,000 are also disappearing fast. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 This shift toward edge intelligence is gaining momentum across industries. — Alper Yegin, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Chad Bown, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, cites the auto industry as an example of the lose-lose outcome of a North American trade spat. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for industry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for industry

Noun

Its architecture could contribute to future efforts involving inexpensive rockets produced in much larger quantities.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Poor Anton has been left out of the drama all day, an effort by Billie and Samir to prevent an already bad futzing from escalating to something severe, and that’s never where Anton likes to be.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of effort

Noun

Kardish brings it out with diligence, insight, admiration, and wonder.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
At the far end of the spectrum, a pre-launch fund calling itself Claude VC says agent teams will run sourcing, diligence, memo drafting and LP qualification.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of diligence

Noun

In simple terms, the cell can store more energy for its weight and size, an advantage for electric vehicles and other applications where battery space is limited.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District upheld Yust’s convictions in August 2023, and the Missouri Supreme Court later denied his application to transfer the case for review.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of application

Noun

Security teams should prioritize execution paths where code can access secrets, create persistence or make system changes, then apply pre-execution controls that can stop or constrain artifacts when their behavior falls outside policy.

— Ken Ammon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Hoban says she’s learned that bringing the vintage toys back to life often requires patience, persistence and a little imagination.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of persistence

Noun

While the Queen Mother was very fond of this Queen Victoria tiara and wore it with relative assiduity, her daughter only wore it once in public, on an official trip to Malta in November 2005.

— Ana Serrano, Glamour, 7 Dec. 2025
These indestructible treasures have always been buried in matter, awaiting the invention of scanning electron microscopes and scientists with enough assiduity to spend decades on end peering into their atomic eyes.

— Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023

Definition of assiduity

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“Industry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/industry. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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