ameliorate

[ uh-meel-yuh-reyt, uh-mee-lee-uh- ]
See synonyms for: ameliorateamelioratedamelioratingameliorative on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with or without object),a·mel·io·rat·ed, a·mel·io·rat·ing.
  1. to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve: strategies to ameliorate negative effects on the environment.

Origin of ameliorate

1
First recorded in 1770–75; a-5 + meliorate
  • Also mel·io·rate [meel-yuh-reyt, mee-lee-uh-] /ˈmil yəˌreɪt, ˈmi li ə-/ .

Other words for ameliorate

Opposites for ameliorate

Other words from ameliorate

  • a·mel·io·ra·ble, adjective
  • a·mel·io·ra·ble·ness, noun
  • a·mel·io·rant, noun
  • a·mel·io·ra·tive, a·mel·io·ra·to·ry [uh-meel-yer-uh-tawr-ee, uh-mee-lee-uh-], /əˈmil yər əˌtɔr i, əˈmi li ə rə-/, adjective
  • a·mel·io·ra·tor, noun
  • un·a·mel·io·ra·ble, adjective

Words Nearby ameliorate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ameliorate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ameliorate

ameliorate

/ (əˈmiːljəˌreɪt) /


verb
  1. to make or become better; improve

Origin of ameliorate

1
C18: from meliorate, influenced by French améliorer to improve, from Old French ameillorer to make better, from meillor better, from Latin melior

usage For ameliorate

Ameliorate is often wrongly used where alleviate is meant. Ameliorate is properly used to mean `improve', not `make easier to bear', so one should talk about alleviating pain or hardship, not ameliorating it

Derived forms of ameliorate

  • ameliorable (əˈmiːljərəbəl), adjective
  • ameliorant, noun
  • ameliorative, adjective
  • ameliorator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012