upcycle

verb

up·​cy·​cle ˈəp-ˌsī-kəl How to pronounce upcycle (audio)
upcycled; upcycling

transitive verb

: 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
upcycling noun

Examples of upcycle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But the best eco-friendly strategies, Piper says, are upcycling your current pieces or thrifting used items. Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024 Another brilliant collection from Irish designer Robyn Lynch, this time including a collaboration with C.P. Company, as the designer upcycles outerwear pieces from the Italian sportswear brand’s past collections into a capsule of one-off designs. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Her pieces, like this necklace composed of yellow jade and glass droplets in different shades of blue, are individually crafted by artisans or upcycled from vintage materials. Ella Riley-Adams Angela Koh Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Tom Delavan, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 In essence, the existing structures would be upcycled into new buildings and additional construction could make the campus twice as dense. Curbed, 9 Jan. 2024 This isn’t a new concept, of course, from upcycling old jeans into shorts and using the excess for patches to dyeing clothes with fruit. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 31 Oct. 2023 Instead, the tents — rescued from a dumpster and upcycled by activists — are sheltering migrants, many of them asylum seekers, who recently arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2023 While observing the latter’s alchemical ability to upcycle trash into fashion treasure, he was inspired to revisit this hybrid technique. Liam Hess, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2023 King Charles is upcycling royal decor, all in the name of charity. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upcycle.' 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

1994, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upcycle was in 1994

Dictionary Entries Near upcycle

Cite this Entry

“Upcycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upcycle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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