Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

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

  • upcycler noun

Etymology

Origin of upcycle

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The bank also views Vietnam as a secondary beneficiary of the upcycle.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From MarketWatch

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

From The Wall Street Journal

“We are still in the early-mid stages of an abnormally long semiconductor upcycle” driven by AI spending, Macquaire analysts said, adding that the upcycle could extend at least through 2027.

From The Wall Street Journal

But in a historically cyclical industry, the stocks have already priced in at least some of the current upcycle in demand, argued Mehdi Hosseini of Susquehanna.

From Barron's