Phrase guide

industrial strength

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Made for use by businesses or manufacturers, as opposed to home consumers, and therefore typically larger, stronger, more difficult to operate, and less attractive in appearance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The office was now large enough to need an industrial strength vacuum cleaner.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Unusually large or potent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, often

Examples

  • That's one industrial strength cockroach! I'll need the industrial strength bug spray.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Ability or capacity, as related to industry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It was many decades before the war-ravaged country regained its industrial strength.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: teollisuus- — made for business use
  • Finnish: teollisuusmittakaavan — made for business use
  • Polish: silnie działający — made for business use
  • Finnish: teollinen voima — ability or capacity, as related to industry
  • Polish: silne działanie — ability or capacity, as related to industry