An Upgrade Is Not the Same as an Update
To upgrade is to move to a better version. An update fixes or refreshes what you already have, and the distinction matters when buying.
To upgrade is to replace something with a better version. Technology keeps a useful distinction: an *update* improves what you have, usually free, while an *upgrade* moves you to a higher grade, often at a price. Airlines use the word in its purest form: same journey, better seat.
- To move to a better version. *Upgrade the software.*
- A better version. *A hardware upgrade.*
- A better seat or room. *A free upgrade to business class.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | upgrade | Upgrade the system. |
| Past | upgraded | Upgraded last year. |
| Noun | upgrade | A significant upgrade. |
| Opposite | downgrade | A credit downgrade. |
| Related | update | A security update. |
How it is used in a sentence
- We upgraded the whole system.Replacement with something better.
- The rating agency downgraded the debt.The opposite.
- She was upgraded at check-in.Travel.
Update, upgrade, patch
- Patch — a small fix, often for security
- Update — improvements within the same version
- Upgrade — a move to a higher version or better hardware
- Downgrade — a move back, or a lowered rating
- Migration — moving to a different system entirely
A compound of *up* and *grade*, from Latin *gradus*, a step. The word is American in origin and dates from the nineteenth century, when it described a rising slope.
Update or upgrade?
An update refreshes what you have. An upgrade moves you to a better version, and usually costs something.
What does *grade* originally mean?
A step, from Latin *gradus*. The same root gives gradual, graduate and degree.