reprocess

verb

re·​pro·​cess (ˌ)rē-ˈprä-ˌses 

-ˈprō-, 

-səs

reprocessed; reprocessing; reprocesses

transitive verb

: to subject to a special process or treatment in preparation for reuse

especially : to extract uranium and plutonium from (the spent fuel rods of a nuclear reactor) for use again as fuel

Examples of reprocess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Saudi Arabia cannot reprocess American nuclear material for weapons per the agreement. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 July 2026

Uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing are the two main pathways to create the core material necessary to build nuclear weapons. — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

The deal reportedly included multiple favorable terms for Saudi Arabia, including limiting international nuclear inspections and potentially allowing the Saudis to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium, he Times reported. — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

However, this volume highlights the urgent global need for permanent deep geological repositories or widespread reprocessing to safely manage long-term waste. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reprocess

verb

re·​pro·​cess rē-ˈpräs-ˌes 

-ˈprōs-, 

-es

: to subject to a special process or treatment in preparation for reuse