by-product
noun
by-prod·uct
ˈbī-ˌprä-(ˌ)dəkt 
variants
or byproduct
plural by-products or byproducts
1
: something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product
Sulfured molasses is a by-product of sugar refining.—
Wayne Gisslen
Wayne GisslenSmall amounts of amyloid beta are generated as an ordinary metabolic byproduct and are believed to do no harm, but larger amounts seem to be tied to Alzheimer's.—January W. Payne
January W. PayneMeat by-products are parts other than meat, including organs, blood and bone …—Amy D. Shojai
Amy D. ShojaiAmong the most commonly occurring and thoroughly studied chlorination byproducts are trihalomethanes …—Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports2
: a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result
Japan's success as an international exporter of manufactured goods is a by-product of the volatile trade among Japanese cities.—Jane Jacobs
Jane JacobsAs investor confidence grows, overspending and overborrowing are typically byproducts of an aging bull market.—Carolyn Bigda
Carolyn BigdaOne of the by-products of the information age is an increasing number of data formats.—John Was
John WasSynonyms
Examples of by-product in a Sentence
hydrogen is one by-product of that chemical reaction
Recent Examples on the Web
The enhanced activity increases the chances of solar storms and their by-products: majestic auroras and potential technological disruptions.
—Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2024
Typically, this rapid stream of particles astronomers call stellar wind should blow off from the white dwarf as a by-product of the star’s fast spinning right after the supernova explosion.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024
Stardom is just a circumstantial, consequential by-product of this.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2024
In public talks, Kennedy often spoke about the dangers of mercury contamination in fish, which is a by-product of coal plants.
—Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by-product 
Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2024
Typically, this rapid stream of particles astronomers call stellar wind should blow off from the white dwarf as a by-product of the star’s fast spinning right after the supernova explosion.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024
Stardom is just a circumstantial, consequential by-product of this.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2024
In public talks, Kennedy often spoke about the dangers of mercury contamination in fish, which is a by-product of coal plants.
—Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by-product
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by-product.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near by-product
Cite this Entry
“By-product.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by-product. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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