adv
Meaning 1
Up a slope or grade.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
upgrade
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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rhymes with -eɪd
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/ˈʌp.ɡɹeɪd/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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/əpˈɡɹeɪd/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: AH0 P G R EY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: AH1 P G R EY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
An upward grade or slope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
Broader terms: grade, gradient, slope
noun
Meaning 3
An improved component or replacement item, usually applied to technology.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Near-synonym: option
- With my phone company, I get a free upgrade every twelve months if I keep topping up 10 pounds a month.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: option
Antonyms: downgrade
noun
Meaning 4
An improvement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The remarried couples among my friends often joke that their divorce and remarriage amounted to an upgrade.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade, step back
verb
Meaning 5
To improve, usually applied to technology, generally by complete replacement of one or more components.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- When you upgrade your standard of living, you become addicted to that standard of living.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
verb
Meaning 6
To replace with something better.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- I had to upgrade my anti-virus software to protect my computer from the newer threats.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
verb
Meaning 7
To improve the equipment or furnishings of or services rendered to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- They upgraded him to the latest model.
- They were upgraded to first class.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
verb
Meaning 8
To improve in condition or status.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- She upgraded to a more successful husband.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
verb
Meaning 9
To replace a program with a later version of itself, a version having a higher version number or marketed under a more recent product name.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
Examples
- She waited a long time to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.
- She waited a long time to upgrade Windows, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 10
the act of improving something (especially machinery) by raising it to a higher grade (as by adding or replacing components)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the power plant received a new upgrade
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: improvement
noun
Meaning 11
hardware that provides better performance than an earlier version did
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hardware, computer hardware
noun
Meaning 12
the property possessed by a slope or surface that rises
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rise, rising slope
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: grade
noun
Meaning 13
a reservation that is improved
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- I got an upgrade to first class when coach class was full
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reservation
noun
Meaning 14
software that provides better performance than an earlier version did
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: software, software program, computer software, software system, software package, package
noun
Meaning 15
an upward slope or grade (as in a road)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the car couldn't make it up the rise
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ascent, acclivity, rise, raise, climb
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: slope, incline, side
Narrower terms: uphill
verb
Meaning 16
to improve what was old or outdated
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- I've upgraded my computer so I can run better software
- The company upgraded their personnel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: better, improve, amend, ameliorate, meliorate
verb
Meaning 17
give better travel conditions to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The airline upgraded me when I arrived late and Coach Class was full
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: better, improve, amend, ameliorate, meliorate
verb
Meaning 18
get better travel conditions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- I upgraded to First Class when Coach Class was overbooked
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: better, improve, ameliorate, meliorate
verb
Meaning 19
rate higher; raise in value or esteem
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: downgrade
Broader terms: rate, rank, range, order, grade, place
verb
Meaning 20
give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
- Women tend not to advance in the major law firms
- I got promoted after many years of hard work
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: promote, advance, kick upstairs, raise, elevate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: delegate, designate, depute, assign
Narrower terms: tenure, bring up, spot promote, ennoble, gentle, entitle, prefer, favor, favour, brevet
History
Etymology
From up- + grade.
Across languages
Translations
89 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Arabic: تَرْقِيَة (tarqiya) — an improved component or replacement item
- Chinese Mandarin: 升級 /升级 (shēngjí) — an improved component or replacement item
- Finnish: parannus — an improved component or replacement item
- French: mise à niveau — an improved component or replacement item
- French: upgrade — an improved component or replacement item
- Georgian: განახლება (ganaxleba) — an improved component or replacement item
- Georgian: ვერსიის განახლება (versiis ganaxleba) — an improved component or replacement item
- Georgian: ახალ ვერსიაზე გადასვლა (axal versiaze gadasvla) — an improved component or replacement item
- German: Upgrade — an improved component or replacement item
- Greek: αναβάθμιση (anaváthmisi) — an improved component or replacement item
- Hindi: नवीनीकरण (navīnīkraṇ) — an improved component or replacement item
- Hindi: अपग्रेड (apagreḍ) — an improved component or replacement item
- Icelandic: uppfærsla — an improved component or replacement item
- Japanese: 改良 (kairyou) — an improved component or replacement item
- Japanese: 改善 (kaizen) — an improved component or replacement item
- Japanese: アップグレード (appugurēdo) — an improved component or replacement item
- Korean: 업그레이드 (eopgeureideu) — an improved component or replacement item
- Macedonian: надградба (nadgradba) — an improved component or replacement item
- Māori: whakamohoatanga — an improved component or replacement item
- Māori: whakakoungatanga — an improved component or replacement item
- Polish: rozbudowa — an improved component or replacement item
- Polish: modernizacja — an improved component or replacement item
- Polish: ulepszenie — an improved component or replacement item
- Russian: модерниза́ция (modɛrnizácija) — an improved component or replacement item
- Russian: апгре́йд (apgrɛ́jd) — an improved component or replacement item
- Russian: обновле́ние (obnovlénije) — an improved component or replacement item
- Spanish: mejora — an improved component or replacement item
- Spanish: actualización — an improved component or replacement item
- Swedish: uppgradering — an improved component or replacement item
- Turkish: yükseltme — an improved component or replacement item
- Urdu: اپگریڈ (apagreḍ) — an improved component or replacement item
- Urdu: درجہ فزونی (darja-fuzūnī) — an improved component or replacement item
- Cornish: ughradha — to improve
- Finnish: parantaa — to improve
- Georgian: აუმჯობესებს (aumǯobesebs) — to improve
- Georgian: აახლებს (aaxlebs) — to improve
- German: verbessern — to improve
- Greek: αναβαθμίζω (anavathmízo) — to improve
- Hebrew: שדרג (shidrég) — to improve
- Māori: whakamohoa — to improve
- Polish: rozbudować — to improve
- Portuguese: melhorar — to improve
- Russian: модернизи́ровать (modɛrnizírovatʹ) — to improve
- Russian: улучша́ть (ulučšátʹ) — to improve
- Russian: улу́чшить (ulúčšitʹ) — to improve
- Russian: усоверше́нствовать (usoveršénstvovatʹ) — to improve
- Russian: обновля́ть (obnovljátʹ) — to improve
- Russian: обнови́ть (obnovítʹ) — to improve
- Russian: апгре́йдить (apgréjditʹ) — to improve
- Spanish: embonar — to improve
- Spanish: mejorar — to improve
- Swedish: befordra — to improve
- Swedish: uppvärdera — to improve
- Swedish: uppdatera — to improve
- Turkish: iyileştirmek — to improve
- Turkish: düzeltmek — to improve
- Cornish: ughradha — to replace an existing object with something better
- Finnish: päivittää parempaan — to replace an existing object with something better
- Finnish: hankkia parempi — to replace an existing object with something better
- French: monter en gamme — to replace an existing object with something better
- German: hochrüsten — to replace an existing object with something better
- German: nachrüsten — to replace an existing object with something better
- Māori: whakakounga — to replace an existing object with something better
- Norwegian: oppgrade — to replace an existing object with something better
- Spanish: actualizar — to replace an existing object with something better
- Spanish: mejorar — to replace an existing object with something better
- Swedish: uppgradera — to replace an existing object with something better
- Turkish: kaliteyi geliştirmek — to replace an existing object with something better
- Catalan: actualitzar — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Cornish: ughradha — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Dutch: upgraden — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Finnish: päivittää — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Georgian: აახლებს (aaxlebs) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Georgian: განაახლებს (ganaaxlebs) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- German: aufrüsten — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- German: upgraden — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Greek: αναβαθμίζω (anavathmízo) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Hebrew: שדרג (shidrég) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Indonesian: memutakhirkan — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Irish: uasghrádaigh — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Malay: naik taraf — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Malay: menaik taraf — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Polish: aktualizować — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Russian: обновить (obnovitʹ) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Russian: апгре́йдить (apgréjditʹ) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Spanish: actualizar — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Swedish: uppgradera — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Turkish: yükseltmek — to replace a program with a later version of itself
- Ukrainian: оновити (onovyty) — to replace a program with a later version of itself
Real reading context