upcycle

American  

[uhp-sahy-kuhl] / ˈʌpˌsaɪ kəl /

verb (used with object)

upcycled, upcycling

1. to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original.

   I upcycled a stained tablecloth into curtains.

---

verb (used without object)

upcycled, upcycling

1. to process goods or material so as to produce something that is often better than the original.

   Several new companies whose purpose is to upcycle have sprung up recently.

noun

1. Economics. a period or cycle during which business activity or profitability is at a high point.

   The whole industry has entered an upcycle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• upcycler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of upcycle

First recorded in 1990–95; up + (re)cycle

Example Sentences

"The students wanted to upcycle clothes, make it unique for them, and save it from landfill."

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

“We still come in skeptical here … We see AI driving a long and enduring upcycle, but a cycle nonetheless,” Kerwin said.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

However, Chatterjee argues that Seagate and Western Digital are taking an approach that could prolong the hard-drive upcycle and justifies a sustained higher valuation.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Even that might be considered a short period if the banks’ upcycle continues.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

“If demand stays this robust, the upcycle could continue for multiple years,” wrote Morgan Stanley’s Moore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026