UPGRADING Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

upgrading 1 of 2

noun

as in promotion

a raising or a state of being raised to a higher rank or position she was surprised by the unannounced upgrading to the position of supervisor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

upgrading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of upgrade

as in promoting

to move higher in rank or position upgraded them to first class

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in improving

to make better that restaurant had better upgrade its service—and fast—if it wants to stay in business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of upgrading

Noun

For all the talk of upgrading, Rogers and Vinicius Jr have eluded them, and the list of plausible upgrades is dwindling. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Passengers on all of Air New Zealand’s long-haul routes operated by its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 777 jets have the option of upgrading to its premium economy cabin. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 The study surveyed 1,000 senior leaders in retail, manufacturing and transportation and logistics across eight countries and found that upgrading everyday workflows with AI, automation and better data pays off in a big way. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 28 July 2026 The three-year agreement will focus on redesigning and upgrading spent fuel examination capabilities at the Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho, a key site responsible for supporting the Navy’s nuclear fleet. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026 Major companies that have strong confidence in Morocco and its industrial upgrading include Stellantis, which is investing more than $1 billion to expand its automotive plant, while Gotion High-Tech is building an electric battery gigafactory. — Panorama Media Ltd, Miami Herald, 19 July 2026 Fans chasing atmosphere can weigh the perks of upgrading, whether that means a club level, a standing-room social area or a section known for being the loudest in the building. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026 Unplugging devices and upgrading equipment can significantly lower energy expenses. — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 5 July 2026 It was built for a repeat client upgrading from a Zeelander 7. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 June 2026

Verb

Desert Sands, for example, is currently upgrading such equipment districtwide — a $1-million project that is costing the district $200,000 due to the discount. — Linda Jacobson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The Dolphins would benefit from upgrading the offensive guard spot. — Omar Kelly august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 By upgrading wastewater systems in the Everglades, repairing boardwalks at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, and restoring historic fort walls at Gulf Islands National Seashore, the LRF is protecting the long-term legacy of our public lands. — Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 First, Burger King improved its Whopper, now the fast-food chain is upgrading its chicken nuggets. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 The next step for this nonprofit is also upgrading facilities. — Megan Shinn, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 And once Starship is launching reliably (and even before then), SpaceX plans to begin upgrading its Starlink network with the newer satellite version. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Bringing Connecticut’s 10th poorest city back to success will require strengthening its schools, upgrading its parks and bolstering the police force, Singh said. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 For most Pixel Watch 4 owners, upgrading to the Pixel Watch 5 isn't necessary. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upgrading

Noun

This shift means emotional intelligence (EI) is no longer just for promotions but is becoming an essential entry requirement, as AI handles technical tasks.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
DyAnnah Butler’s promotion from diverse learning coordinator at the high school’s Washington campus to assistant principal at the district’s Alternative Optional Education Center (AOEC) was also unanimously approved by the board.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of promotion

Verb

Center City Partners is a nonprofit focused on promoting the economic and social growth of Charlotte’s core, which includes uptown, midtown and South End.

— Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
For Pope, the rally is about finding community alongside promoting voting rights.

— Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of promoting

Verb

Pawloski said Amazon seemed to invest fewer resources into improving MTurk at the same time as more data labeling services arrived, causing many turkers to shift to competing platforms.

— Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
The broader shift is that AI content quality is improving while the barrier to creation is becoming lower.

— Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of improving

Noun

One specific area that is actively being explored is the potential of using bacteriophages, which are originally viral in nature, in conjunction with advancements in AI to help detect, track and destroy resistant bacteria forms.

— Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
The advanced weapon features AV’s 20kW-class LOCUST LWS integrated on the General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) platform–a significant advancement in mobile, frontline C-UAS capabilities.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of advancement

Verb

The monthly books are chosen by a committee through the Dollywood Foundation with the goal of enhancing early childhood education.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
The organization works to champion aspiring and established storytellers by providing events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation and encouraging community partnerships.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of enhancing

Browse Nearby Words

upgrades

upgrading

upheaval

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Upgrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upgrading. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of upgrading

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes