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
In response, many companies have turned to fish trimmings—by-products from fish processing—as an alternative.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Given that plastics are originally made as a by-product of fossil fuels, the idea that they can be turned back into fossil fuels shouldn’t be so surprising.
—Josiah Neeley, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
Part of that is a by-product of inflation, rising production costs and ongoing economic uncertainty worldwide, with fears of a global recession being turbo-charged by the saber-rattling administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 19 May 2025
Rendering is a process that transforms animal by-products, like leftover meat and fats...and yes, chicken feet, into usable materials, such as animal feed, fuel, and other industrial products.
—Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
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Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Given that plastics are originally made as a by-product of fossil fuels, the idea that they can be turned back into fossil fuels shouldn’t be so surprising.
—Josiah Neeley, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
Part of that is a by-product of inflation, rising production costs and ongoing economic uncertainty worldwide, with fears of a global recession being turbo-charged by the saber-rattling administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 19 May 2025
Rendering is a process that transforms animal by-products, like leftover meat and fats...and yes, chicken feet, into usable materials, such as animal feed, fuel, and other industrial products.
—Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 1 May 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 28 May. 2025.
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