1
: an upward grade or slope
2
3
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

Examples of upgrade in a Sentence

Noun a slight upgrade in the roadway The hotel offered us a room upgrade. Verb
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
As PwC’s Digital Factory Transformation Survey 2022 estimates, companies are investing over $1.1 trillion in factory technology and digitalization upgrades annually, with $214 billion of that spend happening in retail and consumer goods industries. Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Mar. 2025 Apple shares are sliding after Citi analysts cut iPhone sales estimates for calendar year 2025 and 2026, citing artificial intelligence upgrade delays for virtual assistant Siri. Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
Setting up the necessary connectivity, upgrading core systems, and retraining staff all involve tangible expenses that can make FedNow appear more of a burden than a benefit at first glance. Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 At this point in free agency, a Myers signing would be Seattle’s best path to upgrading the center spot, which is critical in Klint Kubiak’s offense. Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upgrade

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

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Cite this Entry

“Upgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upgrade. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

upgrade

1 of 2 noun
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

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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