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
• are recycling
  progressive
• am 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

According to Marek, millipedes were among the early pioneers of life on land, helping recycle nutrients by feeding on decaying organic material in some of the first terrestrial ecosystems.

From Science Daily • Jun. 14, 2026

By the 2030s, however, the company hopes to separate some of its rare earths in Brazil and recycle magnet waste generated during manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

A litter picking group has introduced a second reverse vending machine to the county that will offer rewards to people who recycle their cans and bottles.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Adapting to these changes requires new thinking and new approaches, he said, including efforts to use water more efficiently, recycle more wastewater, capture more runoff to replenish groundwater, and change how reservoirs are operated.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

We agree that I should put that in the recycle bin, and I do.

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor

Related Words

• convert