upgraded; upgrading; upgrades
: 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
: 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
MacworldExamples 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
Sabrina Rojas Weiss, Parents, 26 June 2025
Aside from storage and the color of the device, there are no upgrade options or choices to make.
—ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
David Weiss, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
In the past five years, the museum has focused on significant improvements to its existing building, including the addition of the new Berg Family Library, upgraded flooring, and other critical enhancements.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upgrade
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Noun
Our Verdict The Nintendo Switch 2 is a definite upgrade from the original.
—Sabrina Rojas Weiss, Parents, 26 June 2025
Aside from storage and the color of the device, there are no upgrade options or choices to make.
—ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
Verb
Maintaining its classical beauty, upgraded to modern hospitality standards, Silverado is more appealing than ever.
—David Weiss, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
In the past five years, the museum has focused on significant improvements to its existing building, including the addition of the new Berg Family Library, upgraded flooring, and other critical enhancements.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upgrade
Cite this Entry
“Upgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upgrade. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upgrade
1 of 2 noun
up·grade
ˈəp-ˌgrād 
1
: an upward grade or slope
2
: rise entry 2 sense 4
crime has been on the upgrade
1
: to raise to a higher grade or position
2
: to improve or replace especially software or a device for increased usefulness
Medical Definition
upgrade
transitive verb
up·grade
ˈəp-ˌgrād, ˌəp-ˈ
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
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