smokestack
gb/smˈoʊkstˌæk/ us/smˈoʊkstˌæk/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
factory chimney for smoke
a tall pipe that lets smoke and gases out of a factory or ship
Usage pattern:
a smokestack (on/at [a factory/power plant/ship])
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse smokestack (industrial chimney) with fireplace chimney (a chimney on a house).
Synonyms
chimney (More general; can refer to a house chimney as well.)
|
stack (Common in engineering; can sound more technical or context-dependent.)
|
exhaust stack (Emphasizes exhaust gases; often used for engines/ships.)
Collocations
factory smokestack
|power-plant smokestack
|a towering smokestack
|a smoking smokestack
|smokestack emissions
|smokestack pollution
|smokestack scrubbers
|smokestack plume
|build a smokestack
|smoke pours from the smokestack
Themes
industry
|environment
|engineering
|buildings
Examples
- A thick plume rose from the smokestack as the plant started up.
- Residents complained about soot coming from the smokestack at night.
- The old ship’s smokestack was repainted before it returned to service.
Learner examples
- Smoke came out of the smokestack.
- The factory has a tall smokestack.
Noun
business
C1
abstract
2
traditional heavy manufacturing sector
old-style factory industries, often seen as polluting
Usage pattern:
smokestack + [industry/industries/economy/jobs]
Common mistake:
Often appears in compounds (e.g., smokestack industries); it usually refers to heavy manufacturing, not literally to smoke.
Synonyms
heavy industry (More straightforward and neutral; not as evocative about pollution.)
|
traditional manufacturing (Emphasizes age/established nature rather than pollution.)
|
industrial base (Broader; can include non-polluting industry too.)
Antonyms
service economy (Focuses on services rather than manufacturing.)
|
high-tech sector (Contrasts with older, factory-based industries.)
|
clean industry (Contrasts with the pollution association of smokestack industries.)
Collocations
smokestack industries
|smokestack economy
|smokestack jobs
|smokestack manufacturing
|smokestack sector
|decline of smokestack industries
|a shift from smokestack to services
|smokestack towns
|smokestack legacy
|smokestack era
Themes
business
|economics
|industry
|environment
|politics
Examples
- The region has tried to move away from smokestack and into software and biotech.
- Her campaign promised to bring back smokestack jobs to the river towns.
- The city’s identity is still tied to smokestack, even as the mills close.
Learner examples
- The area depended on smokestack jobs.
- They want to replace smokestack with clean energy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
smokestack
IPA
GB/smˈoʊkstˌæk/
US/smˈoʊkstˌæk/
Syllables & stress
smokestack (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (smokestack)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: smokestack
- Plural: smokestacks
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.