# recycled

/ɹiˈsaɪkəɫd/ (US) · /ɹɪsˈaɪkəld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recycled
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. made from waste

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- The notebook is made from recycled paper to help the environment.
- The company committed to using only recycled plastics in their packaging by the end of the fiscal year to reduce their carbon footprint.

### 3. reused ideas

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

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

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

- The comedian told some recycled jokes that I had already heard on TV.
- Critics dismissed the sequel as a collection of recycled plot points and tired character tropes that offered nothing new to the franchise.

## Examples

- This notebook is made from recycled paper.
- The company switched to using recycled plastic for all its packaging to reduce its environmental impact.
- Architects are increasingly incorporating recycled steel and reclaimed timber into modern building designs to achieve higher sustainability ratings and lower the overall carbon footprint.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.