by-product
noun
by-prod·uct
ˈbī-ˌprä-(ˌ)dəkt 
variants
or byproduct
plural by-products or byproducts
1
: something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product
Sulfured molasses is a by-product of sugar refining.—
Wayne Gisslen
Wayne GisslenSmall amounts of amyloid beta are generated as an ordinary metabolic byproduct and are believed to do no harm, but larger amounts seem to be tied to Alzheimer's.—January W. Payne
January W. PayneMeat by-products are parts other than meat, including organs, blood and bone …—Amy D. Shojai
Amy D. ShojaiAmong the most commonly occurring and thoroughly studied chlorination byproducts are trihalomethanes …—Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports2
: a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result
Japan's success as an international exporter of manufactured goods is a by-product of the volatile trade among Japanese cities.—Jane Jacobs
Jane JacobsAs investor confidence grows, overspending and overborrowing are typically byproducts of an aging bull market.—Carolyn Bigda
Carolyn BigdaOne of the by-products of the information age is an increasing number of data formats.—John Was
John WasExamples of by-product in a Sentence
hydrogen is one by-product of that chemical reaction
Recent Examples on the Web
Called ToFuel, the four-year, innovative project aims to convert tomato processing residues into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) while also producing valuable by-products such as fertilizer, animal feed, and nutritional oil.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
China’s Commerce Ministry concluded that the EU was dumping pork and pig by-products in China, selling them at prices below production costs or domestic market prices, and harming China’s pork industry.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
This was perhaps a by-product of Guessand losing more duels than any player on the pitch in the first half.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
This waste contains a variety of substances—including leftover dyes, additives, plasticizers, stabilizers and degradation by-products.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
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Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
China’s Commerce Ministry concluded that the EU was dumping pork and pig by-products in China, selling them at prices below production costs or domestic market prices, and harming China’s pork industry.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
This was perhaps a by-product of Guessand losing more duels than any player on the pitch in the first half.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
This waste contains a variety of substances—including leftover dyes, additives, plasticizers, stabilizers and degradation by-products.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
Cite this Entry
“By-product.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by-product. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
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