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to upgrade

to upgrade

177 3.5
To make something newer or better, for example a phone
  • verb
  • /ˈʌpˌɡreɪd/
translation icon : actualizar
  • I decided to upgrade my smartphone to the latest model for better features.
  • upgrade a system
  • upgrade technology
  • need to upgrade

And it's going to be cheaper than upgrading your own computer.

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Examples

  • In addition to these rules, we will be upgrading the site's security.

  • The agency ignored my request to upgrade our system for a decade.

  • With that in mind, how easy is it to upgrade or repair yourself?

  • "I decided to upgrade its sensitivity so we could get better data at long range.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Technologies are upgraded and replaced, and we move to newer and better versions to solve our problems.

    Academic text (2015)
  • One amendment called on South Korea to upgrade its military readiness.

    Academic text (1999)
  • We're upgrading to thermal imagery.

  • And it's time to upgrade from the 330 to the 740.

  • Still, traditional records managers appreciate the need to upgrade security systems as hackers increasingly threaten proprietary data.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The company plans to upgrade its software to enhance performance and security.

Synonyms

to update
vsto upgrade
451 2.8

Make something more modern by adding new information or changes

often implies larger change or full replacement beyond simple additions
to modify
vsto upgrade
268 3.2

Make small changes to something to make it more useful

involves larger, more complete improvement or replacement rather than small tweaks
to augment
vsto upgrade
52 5.3

To make something bigger by adding more to it

targets improving quality or modernity rather than merely increasing size or amount
to modernize
vsto upgrade
51 4.0

To make something more up to date using new tools or ideas

can involve full replacement or bigger improvement rather than only updating
to beef up
vsto upgrade
  • Informal
34 4.5

To make something stronger or more effective

focuses on renewing or replacing to make something newer or overall better
to retrofit
vsto upgrade
12 6.5

To add new parts or equipment to something old to make it work better

is broader, also covering full renewal or replacing with a better version

Antonyms

43 4.9

To make something lower in rank, value or importance

Phrasal Verbs

To move into a better, more expensive class on a plane or train

to upgrade the RAM
  • Specialized
3.4

Put more memory into a computer so it can run more programs

How Improved

overhaul
73 5.1
to replace
1.8
to upgrade
177 3.5
to update
451 2.8
fix
76 1.0
patch
  • Specialized
75 3.8

Surface Forms

upgrade infinitive
upgraded past
upgraded past participle
upgrading present participle
upgrades third person singular

Morphology

upgrade = grade (transparent) = up + grade

The sense 'to improve' follows the common productive pattern 'up' + verb meaning 'make higher/better'.

Etymology

Upgrade comes from up ('higher') and grade ('step' or 'level'), so to upgrade something is to make it newer or better by moving it to a higher level, like getting a newer phone or new software.