industrial revolution

noun

: a rapid major change in an economy (as in England in the late 18th century) marked by the general introduction of power-driven machinery or by an important change in the prevailing types and methods of use of such machines

Examples of industrial revolution in a Sentence

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But coming out of the second industrial revolution technology fueled artistic innovations. Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2025 There was an industrial revolution that’s shaking up the economy, not unlike the globalization and the tech revolution. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025 The industrial revolution mechanized agriculture, pushing workers off farms and into cities. Steve Lohr, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024 The Motive Power of Fire The notion of entropy grew out of an attempt at perfecting machinery during the industrial revolution. Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for industrial revolution

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of industrial revolution was in 1840

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Cite this Entry

“Industrial revolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrial%20revolution. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

industrial revolution

noun
: a rapid major change in an economy (as in England in the late 18th century) marked by the general introduction of power-driven machinery

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