Field vs Industry

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Field

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun

Industry

Top 2,000 (common)A2noun
Most common: Field
 FieldIndustry
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/fiːld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fiːld/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈɪndəstri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɪndəstri/"]/
MeaningAn open area of land, often used for growing crops or for animals to graze.A specific area of business or work.
ExampleThe children played in the field behind the school.The technology industry is rapidly evolving with new innovations.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2A2
Part of speechnounnoun
Collocationscultivated, ploughed/​plowed, grass, work in, cultivate, work, across a/​the field, through a/​the field, (out) in a/​the field, playing, sports, football, take, on a/​the field, off the field, strong, crowded, male-dominated, dominate, head, lead, include somebody, ahead of the field, chosen, specialist, specialized, work in, open up, in a/​the field, outside a/​somebody’s field, field of, an expert in the field, a leader in the field, a field of research, work in, experiment, investigation, research, in the field, strong, crowded, male-dominated, dominate, head, lead, include somebody, ahead of the field, energy, force, electric, strength, data, display, input, create, move betweenbooming, growing, thriving, benefit, develop, encourage, boom, develop, expand, executive, leader, expert, in industry, within industry, a captain of industry, commerce and industry, regulation of (an) industry, booming, growing, thriving, benefit, develop, encourage, boom, develop, expand, executive, leader, expert, in industry, within industry, a captain of industry, commerce and industry, regulation of (an) industry
Antonymsbuilding, city, forestamateur, hobby
Common mistakesConfusing 'field' with 'feild' - remember the spelling!, Using 'field' to describe a non-physical area like responsibility - that's more abstract., Mixing up 'field' with 'area' - make sure you understand the context.Confusing 'industry' with 'sector' in informal contexts., Using 'industries' in singular contexts., Mispronouncing it as 'in-dust-ry' instead of 'in-duh-stree'.
Usage notesUse 'field' to describe agricultural areas or areas of study. It's not used in very casual conversations.Use 'industry' in contexts related to business and economics. Avoid using it informally. It is appropriate in both written and spoken language when discussing markets or sectors.

See it in real clips

Field
Industry

Frequently asked questions: Field vs Industry

What's the difference between Field and Industry?

Field: An open area of land, often used for growing crops or for animals to graze. Industry: A specific area of business or work.

Which is more common: Field and Industry?

Field is the most common in everyday English.

Are Field and Industry the same CEFR level?

Field: A2, Industry: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Field and Industry?

Field: noun, Industry: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Field: The children played in the field behind the school. Industry: The technology industry is rapidly evolving with new innovations.

Can I use Field and Industry interchangeably?

Not always. Field and Industry are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.