upcycle
verb
up·cy·cle
ˈəp-ˌsī-kəl 
upcycled; upcycling
: to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value)
The line upcycles single-use plastic bags that are cleaned and brought in from Bali, Indonesia, and parts of California for use as the main material in the shoes. In the company's first year more than 175,000 plastic bags were reused to create footwear and accessories.—
Melissa Magsaysay
Melissa Magsaysay
upcycling
noun
Examples of upcycle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Princess Kate has also been known to wear plenty of bows on her dresses, even adding them to past outfits in order to upcycle a favorite look and wear it again.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 9 May 2025
Plus, each handblown glass vessel is unique, meaning that no one else will have the exact same design—and it can be upcycled as a chic vessel, too.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 May 2025
The 26-year-old London native, whose fashion journey began with sewing lessons from her grandmother and continued through prestigious training at Central Saint Martins, upcycles out of date makeup as one way to addresses the beauty industry’s excess product problem.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
In addition to the heartfelt reactions, the story highlights a growing trend of upcycling vintage wedding dresses.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upcycle
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Meredith Kile, People.com, 9 May 2025
Plus, each handblown glass vessel is unique, meaning that no one else will have the exact same design—and it can be upcycled as a chic vessel, too.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 May 2025
The 26-year-old London native, whose fashion journey began with sewing lessons from her grandmother and continued through prestigious training at Central Saint Martins, upcycles out of date makeup as one way to addresses the beauty industry’s excess product problem.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
In addition to the heartfelt reactions, the story highlights a growing trend of upcycling vintage wedding dresses.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upcycle
Cite this Entry
“Upcycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upcycle. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share