upgrade

1 of 2

noun

up·​grade ˈəp-ˌgrād How to pronounce upgrade (audio)
1
: an upward grade or slope
2
3

upgrade

2 of 2

verb

upgraded; upgrading; upgrades

transitive verb

: to raise or improve the grade of: such as
a
: to improve (livestock) by use of purebred sires
b
: to advance to a job requiring a higher level of skill especially as part of a training program
c
: to raise the quality of
d
: to raise the classification and usually the price of without improving the quality
e
: to extend the usefulness of (something, such as a device)
f
: to assign a less serious status to
upgraded the patient's condition to good

intransitive verb

: to replace something (such as software or an electronic device) with a more useful version or alternative
Upgrading to a new operating system can make people anxious, even under the best of circumstances.Macworld
upgradability noun
upgradable adjective
or upgradeable

Examples of upgrade in a Sentence

Noun a slight upgrade in the roadway The hotel offered us a room upgrade. Verb This course will help you to upgrade your computer skills. They've upgraded the quality of their service. The city is upgrading the sewage treatment plant. The office is upgrading the telephone system. They upgraded the hotel to attract more business patrons. We were able to upgrade to first class. We had reserved a double room, but the hotel upgraded us to a suite.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The upgrade was expected to be complete by 4 p.m. EST, according to the status page. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 In fact, Target Circle 360 doesn’t appear to be a new plan as much as a rebranding and upgrade of its current delivery offerings. Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 7 Mar. 2024 Read more: Royals form campaign for new ballpark, Chiefs upgrades. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 The company identified a mix of programs to help pay for the upgrades, which will move the church off natural gas and to electricity. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 Backed by consumer research, these upgrades are intended to elevate the onboard experience. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 The noteworthy upgrades can be found under the hood. Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 With hybrid work schedules set to depress demand for office space in the long term, and higher interest rates increasing the cost of the constant upgrades needed to attract and keep tenants, even the best office buildings may not be able to compete with investment opportunities elsewhere. Ari Altstedter, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Additional projects scheduled in 2024 include upgrades to the two primary in-bowl LED boards, the addition of six new LED installations, a new stadium-wide audio system with 48 sub-woofers, and updates to the building’s signage and wayfinding. Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that This live event will begin shortly... Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 At the hearing, witnesses advocated for a fee to help improve, sustain and upgrade America's recycling system. Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 What to Look for When Shopping for Glasses Online Lens Customization: Lenses can be upgraded to meet daily vision needs. Kelsey Kunik, Verywell Health, 6 Mar. 2024 Looking to upgrade your living room, bedroom, or outdoor space? Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Many districts also used that money to upgrade HVAC systems in aging school buildings. Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2024 Philips Hue also implemented a beta test for upgrading its Zigbee lighting bridge, but the full rollout was fraught with issues, based on my testing. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 4 Mar. 2024 Speak Up To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video WATCH Deutsche Telekom Concept Phone Email More... VIDEO URL https://www.wired.com/video/watch/deutsche-telekom-concept-phone The live event has ended. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 2 Mar. 2024 Their top priorities this offseason may be upgrading their linemen, offensively and defensively, but don’t overlook other positions. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upgrade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1901, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of upgrade was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near upgrade

Cite this Entry

“Upgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upgrade. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

upgrade

1 of 2 noun
up·​grade ˈəp-ˌgrād How to pronounce upgrade (audio)
1
: an upward grade or slope
2
: rise entry 2 sense 4
crime has been on the upgrade

upgrade

2 of 2 verb
1
: to raise to a higher grade or position
2
: to improve or replace especially software or a device for increased usefulness
upgradability noun
upgradable adjective
or upgradeable

Medical Definition

upgrade

transitive verb
upgraded; upgrading
1
: to assign a less serious status to
upgraded the patient's condition from fair to good
2
: to reclassify (as a cancer, concussion, or bone fracture) to a more serious grade when the grades are numbered from least to most serious

More from Merriam-Webster on upgrade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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