What does "recycled" mean?

1. (made from waste) made from materials that have been used before and processed so they are not wasted. 2. (reused ideas) describes an idea, story, or joke that has been used many times before.

recycled

adj.

US //ɹiˈsaɪkəɫd// UK //ɹɪsˈaɪkəld// re·cy·cled

1 made from waste (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

made from materials that have been used before and processed so they are not wasted.

pertaining to materials that have undergone a recovery process to be converted into new products.

Example

The notebook is made from recycled paper to help the environment.

Example

The company committed to using only recycled plastics in their packaging by the end of the fiscal year to reduce their carbon footprint.
- reprocessed
- reclaimed
- reused
2 reused ideas (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

describes an idea, story, or joke that has been used many times before.

metaphorical use describing content or concepts that are not original and have been adapted from previous works.

Example

The comedian told some recycled jokes that I had already heard on TV.

Example

Critics dismissed the sequel as a collection of recycled plot points and tired character tropes that offered nothing new to the franchise.
- unoriginal
- rehashed
- familiar

Last updated June 20, 2026