supply chain

noun

plural supply chains

: the chain of processes, businesses, etc. by which a commodity is produced and distributed : the companies, materials, and systems involved in manufacturing and delivering goods

The pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of the global supply chain—that's the usually invisible pathway of manufacturing, transportation and logistics that gets goods from where they are manufactured, mined or grown to where they are going. At the end of the chain is another company or a consumer who has paid for the finished product.—

Peter S. Goodman

Everyday life in the United States is acutely dependent on the perpetual motion of the supply chain, in which food and medicine and furniture and clothing all compete for many of the same logistical resources. … [W]hen a finite supply of packaging can't keep up with demand, when there aren't enough longshoremen or truck drivers or postal workers, when a container ship gets wedged sideways in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes—the effects ripple outward for weeks or months, emptying shelves and raising prices in ways that can seem random. All of a sudden, you can't buy kettlebells or canned seltzer.—

Amanda Mull

Examples of supply chain 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.

New battery plants in the state will help move the supply chain closer to U.S. EV factories. —

James Morton Turner, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2024 The key is to know what’s in your supply chain from the get-go, which can be frustratingly difficult. —

Lauren Parker, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2024 Production of critical aircraft, including the 737 MAX, was halted during the strike, impacting the aerospace supply chain and delaying aircraft deliveries to airlines. —

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The retail sector is already grappling with supply chain disruptions and rising operational costs, and additional tariffs could further squeeze consumers’ wallets. —

Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for supply chain