as·sem·bly-line ə-ˈsem-blē-ˌlīn 
: made by or as if by an assembly line
especially : lacking originality or creativity
bored by the novel's assembly-line plot
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
Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 20 Apr. 2026 When, in the early nineteen-hundreds, Gibson developed the F-style flat-back, inspired by the Stradivarius violin, the idea was to produce a louder instrument that could be used for classical as well as folk music, while being assembly-line-friendly. —Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 2026 The Jackson 5 proved to be the last great Motown act—the final thing for Berry Gordy’s assembly line. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assembly-line
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
The first is a nod to Zao’s assembly-line counter setup, which is similar to the build-your-own concept used by Chipotle Mexican Grill. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 20 Apr. 2026 When, in the early nineteen-hundreds, Gibson developed the F-style flat-back, inspired by the Stradivarius violin, the idea was to produce a louder instrument that could be used for classical as well as folk music, while being assembly-line-friendly. —Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
With these machines, the researchers built a mock multi-robot assembly line where three different robotic arms cooperated to complete a sequence of tasks. —Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 2026 The Jackson 5 proved to be the last great Motown act—the final thing for Berry Gordy’s assembly line. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assembly-line
Cite this Entry
“Assembly-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/assembly-line. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
