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
Macworld
Synonyms
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.
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Recent Examples on the WebPrakhar Khanna, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The three-game pack's latest version, which was released in 2021, features enhanced graphics and gameplay upgrades, TechCrunch reported.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2023
Shrugging off higher interest rates, America’s consumers spent enough to help drive the economy to a brisk 5.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Wednesday in an upgrade from its previous estimate.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
Get The Recipe 15 of 28 Toasted Oatmeal Cookies
Toasting the oatmeal in this recipe is the key to giving classic oatmeal cookies an instant upgrade.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023
The normal price for this soundbar is a bit high, but this sale offers a great upgrade over the speakers in your TV at a nearly impulse-buy cost.
—Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Clear products fade into interiors, which gives them a timeless quality, and technological upgrades can be addressed by changing out a single part of a sound system, keeping the whole from becoming obsolete.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023
Read more: Best Running Shoes; Best Nike Shoes for Running; Best Hoka Running Shoes
If your hiking boots could use an upgrade, grab a new pair from Keen, Columbia, Saloman, or Hoka.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 27 Nov. 2023
All guests are offered a welcome drink, early check-in and late checkout (if available), and free room upgrades (if available).
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 26 Nov. 2023
Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2023
Video From The New Yorker Goldie: The Life of a Nursing-Home Rock Star
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Eat: Chocolate truffles, caviar, a still-beating heart.
—Grace Henes, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2023
Our North American Manufacturing ERP report also found that cloud ERP is a key strategic focus for manufacturers’ software investment, with two-thirds (62.6%) of respondents planning to upgrade their solutions, given the nature of advanced manufacturing.
—Raj Badarinath, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Washington upgraded China from its previous Level 2 warning, out of 4, in 2020.
—Vivian Wang, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Take advantage of the Cyber Monday sale to upgrade to this sleek stainless steel step can.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 27 Nov. 2023
Video From The New Yorker To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Meanwhile, Fennell lavishes gleefully derisive attention on the splendiferous absurdities of the mansion and its inhabitants.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2023
In March 2022, a Jackson County judge ordered a temporary order of protection (later upgraded to a full order of protection) for a woman and child connected to Anderson, according to domestic violence documents obtained by The Kansas City Star.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023
These days, she’s upgraded to this electric milk frother that has been a staple in her kitchen for two years.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
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Noun
These include upgrades to Wear OS, Google Messages, and more.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The three-game pack's latest version, which was released in 2021, features enhanced graphics and gameplay upgrades, TechCrunch reported.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2023
Shrugging off higher interest rates, America’s consumers spent enough to help drive the economy to a brisk 5.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Wednesday in an upgrade from its previous estimate.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
Get The Recipe 15 of 28 Toasted Oatmeal Cookies
Toasting the oatmeal in this recipe is the key to giving classic oatmeal cookies an instant upgrade.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023
The normal price for this soundbar is a bit high, but this sale offers a great upgrade over the speakers in your TV at a nearly impulse-buy cost.
—Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Clear products fade into interiors, which gives them a timeless quality, and technological upgrades can be addressed by changing out a single part of a sound system, keeping the whole from becoming obsolete.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023
Read more: Best Running Shoes; Best Nike Shoes for Running; Best Hoka Running Shoes
If your hiking boots could use an upgrade, grab a new pair from Keen, Columbia, Saloman, or Hoka.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 27 Nov. 2023
All guests are offered a welcome drink, early check-in and late checkout (if available), and free room upgrades (if available).
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 26 Nov. 2023
Verb
The boat’s engineering systems were upgraded, including the air-conditioning and generators that can power other boats when traveling off-grid.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2023
Video From The New Yorker Goldie: The Life of a Nursing-Home Rock Star
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Eat: Chocolate truffles, caviar, a still-beating heart.
—Grace Henes, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2023
Our North American Manufacturing ERP report also found that cloud ERP is a key strategic focus for manufacturers’ software investment, with two-thirds (62.6%) of respondents planning to upgrade their solutions, given the nature of advanced manufacturing.
—Raj Badarinath, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Washington upgraded China from its previous Level 2 warning, out of 4, in 2020.
—Vivian Wang, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Take advantage of the Cyber Monday sale to upgrade to this sleek stainless steel step can.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 27 Nov. 2023
Video From The New Yorker To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Meanwhile, Fennell lavishes gleefully derisive attention on the splendiferous absurdities of the mansion and its inhabitants.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2023
In March 2022, a Jackson County judge ordered a temporary order of protection (later upgraded to a full order of protection) for a woman and child connected to Anderson, according to domestic violence documents obtained by The Kansas City Star.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023
These days, she’s upgraded to this electric milk frother that has been a staple in her kitchen for two years.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
See More
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
Dictionary Entries Near upgrade
Cite this Entry
“Upgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upgrade. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on upgrade
Nglish: Translation of upgrade for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of upgrade for Arabic Speakers
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