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
But my arguments against being with Michaele, against the possibility of there being an us, were all the by-products of my being tumidly invested in a cause.
—Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Companies will need to ensure that their water intake and salty brine by-product don’t harm marine life or significantly alter these processes.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2025
The first synthetic dye was a shade of mauve, invented in the mid-nineteenth century from by-products of coal processing.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, the internet will still be awash with content, because for many people and businesses, content is not the product, but merely a by-product.
—Calum Chace, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
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Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Companies will need to ensure that their water intake and salty brine by-product don’t harm marine life or significantly alter these processes.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2025
The first synthetic dye was a shade of mauve, invented in the mid-nineteenth century from by-products of coal processing.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, the internet will still be awash with content, because for many people and businesses, content is not the product, but merely a by-product.
—Calum Chace, Forbes.com, 30 July 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 22 Aug. 2025.
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