upgrade

Noun

upgrade (plural upgrades)

1. An upward grade or slope.
   • The Worthens sighed with relief as the engine began its night of upgrade chugging.1931, Journal of the Outdoor Life, volume 28, page 303

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

2. An improved component or replacement item, usually applied to technology.
   • Near-synonym: option
   • With my phone company, I get a free upgrade every twelve months if I keep topping up 10 pounds a month.

   Synonyms:

   option

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

3. An improvement.
   • The remarried couples among my friends often joke that their divorce and remarriage amounted to an upgrade.
   • "When we're finished in 2024, this upgrade programme will provide a much-improved railway between London Waterloo and Portsmouth," said NR's Wessex Route Director Mark Killick.2022 January 12, “Network News: Portsmouth line upgrade set to begin”, in RAIL, number 948, page 12

   Antonyms:

   downgrade, step back

Verb

IPA/əpˈɡɹeɪd/

upgrade (third-person singular simple present upgrades, present participle upgrading, simple past and past participle upgraded)

1. (transitive) To improve, usually applied to technology, generally by complete replacement of one or more components.
   • When you upgrade your standard of living, you become addicted to that standard of living.

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

2. (transitive) To replace with something better.
   • I had to upgrade my anti-virus software to protect my computer from the newer threats.

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

3. (transitive) To improve the equipment or furnishings of or services rendered to.
   • They upgraded him to the latest model.
   • They were upgraded to first class.

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

4. (intransitive) To improve in condition or status.
   • She upgraded to a more successful husband.

   Antonyms:

   downgrade

5. (intransitive, transitive) 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.
   • 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.

Adverb

upgrade (not generally comparable, comparative further upgrade or farther upgrade, superlative furthest upgrade or farthest upgrade)

1. (not comparable, usually) Up a slope or grade.
   • Men fell out, worn-out, and there were sunstroke cases. It was an eight-mile march upgrade.1955, Carl Sandburg, Prairie-town boy, page 173
   • Northbound trains originating near the Ohio River faced a 26-mile climb upgrade to Flushing.2009, Craig Sanders, Canton Area Railroads, page 66