production
production — noun
1. the work of creating goods or raising crops on a large scale for people to buy
the work of creating goods or raising crops on a large scale for people to buy
The factory's production of solar panels created over two hundred jobs.
collocation: production of [product]
Lan works in food production for a company that exports rice to Southeast Asia.
Vikram's family owns a farm where production of organic vegetables has grown steadily.
New safety regulations changed how production is organised in the chemical industry.
passive: production is organised / production is managed
Esteban learned about mass production during his internship at a car factory.
collocation: mass production
- production line
- mass production
- production process
- production facility
- production capacity
- production costs
- manufacturing
narrower — specifically factory-based making of goods using machines
- fabrication
more technical — often used for constructing parts or equipment
- assembly
focuses on putting together pre-made parts rather than making from raw materials
- consumption
the act of using goods rather than creating them
Grammar Patterns
production + of + noun phrase
Usage Note
Often followed by an 'of'-phrase specifying the goods being made (e.g., production of steel, food production). Frequently used in compound nouns like car production and oil production.
Common Mistakes
2. the total amount of goods or materials that a company, farm, or country produces
the total amount of goods or materials that a company, farm, or country produces within a particular period of time
Steel production in that region rose by twelve percent compared to last year.
collocation: production rises / increases / falls
Nellie monitors daily production at the textile factory and reports any delays.
Heavy rainfall this season helped push wheat production in the area to a record high.
collocation: production reaches a record high
The management team decided to cut production because fewer customers placed orders.
Jabari checks the weekly production numbers before the meeting with the factory manager.
collocation: production numbers / figures
- production target
- production figures
- production levels
- production capacity
- rate of production
- shortage
a situation where the amount produced is less than needed
Grammar Patterns
noun + production
production + verb (increase / fall / rise)
Usage Note
Subject is typically a company, country, or industry. Commonly paired with verbs indicating change: increase, boost, raise, cut, reduce, fall, drop.
Common Mistakes
3. the job of handling the money, schedules, and team coordination required to make
the job of handling the money, schedules, and team coordination required to make a film, stage a play, or broadcast a radio programme
The film's production was delayed when the main actor broke his leg during rehearsals.
production + was delayed — scheduling verbs
Nicholas works in television production and coordinates schedules for camera crews and editors.
collocation: television production
Apinya handled the production budget for a documentary about marine conservation in Thailand.
Production of the new drama series began in March and finished six months later.
Asher was surprised by how smoothly the production ran on the film set.
- film production
- production company
- production budget
- production schedule
- production team
- in production
- filmmaking
narrower — only for films, not plays or radio
- direction
only the creative leadership, not the full financial and practical management
Grammar Patterns
production + of + [film / play / programme]
the + production
in + production
Usage Note
Frequently used in the phrase 'the production of [film/play/programme]'. The definite article is common when referring to a specific project. Can be countable ('a production that went over budget') or uncountable ('work in production').
Common Mistakes
4. the specific staging of a piece of theatre that is performed live on several dat
the specific staging of a piece of theatre that is performed live on several dates with the same actors and direction
The local theatre's production of 'The Tempest' received excellent reviews from the audience.
production of [play] — specific theatrical staging
Romi saw a student production of Puccini's opera performed at the community hall.
The school spring production was a musical comedy that the students had written.
Yara starred in a Broadway production that toured across five different countries.
Sophia attended the opening night of the new production at the National Theatre.
- stage production
- Broadway production
- student production
- amateur production
- new production
- touring production
- performance
broader — can refer to a single show; production implies a full run with a unified staging
- show
less formal; can refer to any entertainment event
- staging
focuses on the design and presentation style of the performance
Grammar Patterns
adjective + production
production + of + [play / opera]
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 3 (FILM/TV ORG) — this sense refers to the public performance itself, not the organising work behind it. Often modified by adjectives describing the type of staging: amateur, Broadway, touring, student, professional.
Common Mistakes
5. the overall quality and style of a recorded piece of music, reflecting the techn
the overall quality and style of a recorded piece of music, reflecting the technical and artistic choices made during its recording and mixing
The production on that new album is clean and polished with every instrument balanced.
production on [album] — referring to sound quality and mixing
Henrik praised the production of the jazz record, calling the sound warm and natural.
The band's latest release has a raw production style that sounds like a live performance.
Music fans often debate the production quality of albums recorded in the nineteen eighties.
collocation: production quality
Modern production techniques let sound engineers remove background noise from recordings.
- music production
- production value
- production style
- production quality
- production technique
- sound quality
more general; production also implies artistic choices in mixing, not just clarity
- mixing
narrower — specifically the blending of audio tracks, not the full recording process
Grammar Patterns
production + on + [album / track]
noun + production
Usage Note
Subject is usually a recording, album, or track. Refers to the studio work and sound engineering choices rather than the musical performance itself. Often contrasted with 'live sound' when describing the difference between studio and concert recordings.
Common Mistakes
6. the formal act of presenting a document, ticket, or item in order to prove ident
the formal act of presenting a document, ticket, or item in order to prove identity, eligibility, or ownership in an official setting
Guests can collect their tickets upon production of a valid booking reference number.
upon production of — fixed formal phrase meaning 'by showing'
The court ordered the production of all emails exchanged between the two companies.
You will receive a student discount on production of your university identification card.
The lawyer demanded the production of the original contract signed by both parties.
On production of a valid passport the bank teller processed the application.
formal register: on production of [document]
- on production of
- upon production of
- production of documents
- demand production
- production of evidence
- proof of identity
- presentation
slightly broader — can imply a spoken or visual delivery, not just showing a document
- disclosure
specifically legal — making hidden information known, not just showing a physical item
Grammar Patterns
on/upon + production + of + noun phrase
Usage Note
Fixed in the formal phrase 'on/upon production of' meaning 'by presenting/showing'. Most common in official, legal, and administrative contexts. The phrase 'demand the production of evidence' is a standard legal expression.
Common Mistakes
This phrase means after you show a particular document or item.
You can enter the museum on production of your ticket.
On production of a valid ID, the clerk issued the package.
Word family
- produceverbB1
- producernounB2
- productnounA2
- productiveadjectiveB2
- productivitynounB2
- unproductiveadjectiveC1
- reproductionnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Production is the broadest of these terms, covering any process of making or growing things for sale — from farming wheat to assembling smartphones. Manufacturing is narrower and refers specifically to making goods in factories using machines and assembly lines. Fabrication is more technical and typically describes constructing parts, equipment, or metal structures (e.g., 'the fabrication of steel beams'). Assembly focuses on putting together pre-made components into a finished product, like assembling a computer from parts. Cultivation is used only for growing crops or plants, not for industrial goods. When describing a car factory, production and manufacturing both work; for a documentary about farming, production and cultivation fit, but manufacturing and fabrication do not.
Common collocations
Etymology
Production comes from Latin product-, meaning 'brought forth'. The Latin verb producere (pro- 'forward' + ducere 'to lead') gave rise to the English word through French in the fifteenth century. It originally described the act of bringing something into existence. During the Industrial Revolution, the word took on its modern economic meaning of making goods in large quantities.