recycle

American  

[ree-sahy-kuhl] / riˈsaɪ kəl /

verb (used with object)

• recycles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recycled,
  past participle,  past
• recycling
  present participle

1. to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse.

   recycling paper to save trees.

2. to alter or adapt for new use without changing the essential form or nature of.

   The old factory is being recycled as a theater.

3. to use again in the original form or with minimal alteration.

   The governor recycled some speeches from his early days.

4. to cause to pass through a cycle again.

   to recycle laundry through a washing machine.

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verb (used without object)

• recycles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recycled,
  past participle,  past
• recycling
  present participle

1. to pass through a cycle again; repeat a process from the beginning.

2. to undergo reuse or renewal; be subject to or suitable for further use, activity, etc..

   The industry will recycle and become profitable once more.

noun

1. the act or process of recycling.

recycle British  

/ riːˈsaɪkəl /

verb

1. to pass (a substance) through a system again for further treatment or use

2. to reclaim (packaging or products with a limited useful life) for further use

3. to institute a different cycle of processes or events in (a machine, system, etc)

4. to repeat (a series of operations)

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noun

1. the repetition of a fixed sequence of events

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recyclability
  noun
• recycler
  noun
• recyclist
  noun
• nonrecyclable
  adjective
• recyclable
  adjective
• unrecycled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• recycling
  present
• recycled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• recycle
  simple
• recycles
  simple
• have recycled
  perfect
• has recycled
  perfect
• am recycling
  progressive
• are recycling
  progressive
• is recycling
  progressive
• have been recycling
  perfect progressive
• has been recycling
  perfect progressive

Past

• recycled
  simple
• had recycled
  perfect
• was recycling
  progressive
• were recycling
  progressive
• had been recycling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will recycle
  simple
• will have recycled
  perfect
• will be recycling
  progressive
• will have been recycling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of recycle

First recorded in 1925–30; re- + cycle

Explanation

When you recycle something, you process it so it can be used again. You might recycle an old tire and make it into a snazzy black knapsack with some very cool skid marks. The prefix re- means again, and when you recycle something, you process it for another cycle of use. The phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" gives you three ways to prevent waste. When you recycle plastic bottles, they’re melted down and made into new bottles or even furniture or clothing. You might do some creative recycling and turn your old textbooks into a coffee table. When you have your washing machine repeat the wash or rinse cycle, that’s a different recycle.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recycle recycles recycled recycling

Their thick bark and elevated canopies offer protection, while smaller fires clear vegetation, recycle nutrients, and create conditions that help new sequoias grow.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

James Piper, co-host of the Talking Rubbish podcast, co-owner of Ecosurety, said he dislikes BuzzBallz because of how difficult they are to recycle.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

BuzzBallz's UK FAQs, now also deleted, stated: "Yes, our packaging is recyclable. Please recycle your empties where local facilities allow."

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Efforts to recycle rare earths or develop batteries that need fewer exotic components are still in their infancy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

My father always says she only works to feed our family’s book addiction and that we’d be further ahead financially if she collected aluminum cans from the side of the freeway to recycle.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Factories that would normally delay payment started putting down cash upfront "because they were so eager to secure material", said Rizq Yousif, who mainly recycles PET, the plastic widely used in beverage and food packaging.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

The latest “Scary Movie,” which simply recycles the title “Scary Movie,” is as lazy, dumb and offensive as the others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

The site recovers and recycles silver collected from a nearby site, Sigman said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026

The fine can be £100, but Mr Long said waste wardens prioritised promoting the Keeping Up With the Joneses campaign, created to ensure every household in Blaenau Gwent recycles.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025

She recycles everything, including canvases, sometimes painting over one piece to create a new one.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

"I wouldn't be able to tell you whether I'm working with the recycled or the normal," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Currently, bamboo and recycled paper are the primary alternatives to traditional wood fiber in paper-based products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“I like to think I recycled those images from negative to positive.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Participants who recycled, used reusable cups and containers, took public transportation, ate greener diets, or cycled to work were no less likely to support wider climate policies and collective action.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

“I think Albert’s idea is fascinating. How Earth has recycled its water over and over. Extraordinary, Albert!”

From "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Pro tip: In the months leading up to the move, I also saved boxes from deliveries I received, instead of hauling them downstairs to the recycling bin.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

Devon is bracing itself for a council shake-up, made up of four new authorities responsible for everything from leisure centres and planning to recycling.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Unable to find work or pay to see a doctor, he has resorted to recycling cans and bottles to support himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

If you have old tires sitting around, take them to a recycling center.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

And that was just recycling bottles and cans!

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

• convert