recycling

American  

[ree-sahyk-ling] / riˈsaɪk lɪŋ /

noun

plural

recyclings

1. the collection and processing of used or waste materials so as to make them suitable for reuse, often through a publicly administered program.

2. the act or practice of reusing or adapting something for a different purpose without altering its essential form or nature.

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adjective

1. relating to or engaging in the collection and processing of used or waste materials so as to make them suitable for reuse, or the practice of reusing or adapting things for a different purpose.

recycling Scientific  

/ rē-sī′klĭng /

1. The collection and often reprocessing of discarded materials for reuse. Recycled materials include those used in manufacturing processes and those used in consumer products. The recycled material is often degraded somewhat by use or processing and therefore must be converted to another purpose. For example, the processing of recycled newspaper and other paper wastes usually shortens their fibers, and the material cannot be used to make high-grade paper. Instead, it can be reprocessed to make cardboard or insulation. Recycling helps reduce pollution, prolong the usefulness of landfills, and conserve natural resources.

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Other Word Forms

• anti-recycling adjective
• nonrecycling adjective
• post-recycling adjective
• pro-recycling adjective
• self-recycling adjective

Example Sentences

Most agreed the state should fast-track new reservoirs, raise some existing dams and increase water recycling to boost supply.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“We cannot speak about an apocalypse,” Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote on Tuesday night, recycling a word used for the failure of 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Recommending taking your food recycling bin out every week, he said lining a food caddy meant food waste was less likely to get congealed and sticky.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Lysosomes are small compartments enclosed by membranes that serve as the cell's recycling centers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

But one tiny piece of recycling never made it down the chute.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff