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
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
Hospital renovations and upgrades to spaces vacated by the consolidation of outpatient services that are scheduled to be complete by summer 2029. Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025 The hotel's renovation started in 2023 with a floor-to-ceiling redesign of all 392 guest rooms, including 57 suites, upgrades to the hotel’s meeting and event space, and the relocation of the lobby and front desk to the ground floor. Ryan Slattery, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
The biggest change, of course, is that Clooney, who previously played producer Fred Friendly, has upgraded himself to the lead role of Murrow (portrayed in the movie by David Strathairn, who earned an Oscar nom). EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025 The Ring Stick Up Cam is a simple, no-fuss way to upgrade your home security. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upgrade. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!