update

update — verb

1. to add new features, information, or improvements to something so that it works

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to add new features, information, or improvements to something so that it works better or matches current needs and standards.

Example

Tomás updated his personal website with a photo gallery and a contact form.

update + object + with + new content

The restaurant decided to update its kitchen equipment before the health inspection.

Common collocations
  • update + a system / software / website / document / record
  • update + with + new information / data / features
  • update + regularly / automatically / frequently / periodically
Synonyms
  • modernize

    stronger focus on bringing old designs or methods into the present; often used for buildings, systems, or processes

  • revise

    emphasizes careful review and correction of a document, plan, or text

  • upgrade

    implies improving to a higher-quality or more advanced version, not just making current

  • refresh

    more informal; often used for skills, memories, or on-screen data without structural changes

Antonyms
  • outdate

    to make something old-fashioned or no longer current

Grammar Patterns

update + object + with + new features/information

update + object + to + new version

Usage Note

Common in computing and technology, but also used broadly for documents, equipment, procedures, and skills. Frequently used in the passive voice in technical writing: 'The system was updated.'

Common Mistakes

I updated my old phone to the latest model.
I upgraded my old phone to the latest model.
'update' means making the existing thing current; 'upgrade' means replacing it with something better.
She updated the report by rewriting every section from scratch.
She revised the report completely.
'update' implies adding current information while keeping the existing content; 'revise' suggests a more thorough reworking.

2. to tell someone the newest information about a situation, event, or person so th

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to tell someone the newest information about a situation, event, or person so that they know what has happened or changed.

Example

Faisal called his parents to update them on his flight arrival time.

update + someone + on + topic

The night-shift nurse updated the doctor on the patient's condition after the surgery.

Common collocations
  • update + someone + on / about + something
  • keep + someone + updated
  • update + regularly / periodically
Synonyms
  • inform

    more formal and neutral; does not carry the implication that the listener already had earlier information

  • brief

    implies giving a structured, often official summary of key facts, especially in workplace or military settings

  • notify

    more formal; usually about a single specific fact, often in writing

Grammar Patterns

update + someone + on + topic

update + someone + about + topic

keep + someone + updated

Usage Note

The topic of the information is introduced by on or about ('update someone on progress,' 'update someone about the situation'). The phrasal pattern keep + object + updated is very common in workplace and personal communication.

Common Mistakes

Please update me the meeting time.
Please update me on the meeting time.
when specifying the topic, use on or about, not a direct object.
She updated the team that the project was delayed.
She updated the team on the project delay.
while a that-clause is possible, the typical pattern uses on + noun phrase.

update — noun

Word family

  • updated
    adjectiveB1
  • updating
    nounB1
  • updater
    nounC1
  • up-to-date
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words involve making changes, but they differ in scope and purpose. Update means bringing something to current standards — adding new information or features without replacing the whole thing (e.g., updating a résumé with a new job entry). Upgrade implies moving to a higher-quality or more advanced version, often involving new hardware or a premium tier (e.g., upgrading to first class). Revise focuses on careful review and correction, especially for text, plans, or opinions (e.g., revising a manuscript after feedback). Renew suggests restoring something that has faded or expired, giving it fresh life (e.g., renewing a passport or a gym membership). Refresh is the most casual term, often used for skills, memories, or on-screen data — it implies a quick top-up rather than a fundamental change (e.g., refreshing a web page or refreshing your Spanish before a trip). Choose update when the goal is making something current; upgrade when you want something better; revise when you need to correct; renew when restoring; and refresh for a quick reset.

update ↗upgrade ↗revise ↗renew ↗refresh ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • keep someone updated
  • stay updated
  • bring up to date

Prepositions

Etymology

English (up + date)

The verb update was formed in English around the 1840s from the adverb up (meaning 'completely, to a full extent') and date (meaning 'a specific point in time'). It originally appeared in American English, where 'to update' meant to mark with the current date or to extend information so that it includes the latest facts. The noun followed soon after. The word was built from existing English parts rather than borrowed from another language.