amelioration

American  

[uh-meel-yuh-rey-shuhn, uh-mee-lee-uh-] / əˌmil jəˈreɪ ʃən, əˈmi li ə- /

noun

1. an act or instance of ameliorating or making better; the state of being ameliorated or made better.

   the amelioration of working conditions.

2. something that ameliorates; an improvement.

3. melioration.

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amelioration British  

/ əˌmiːljəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of ameliorating or the state of being ameliorated

2. something that ameliorates; an improvement

3. Also called: elevation.  linguistics (of the meaning of a word) a change from pejorative to neutral or positively pleasant. The word nice has achieved its modern meaning by amelioration from the earlier sense foolish, silly

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Etymology

Origin of amelioration

First recorded in 1790–1800; ameliorate + -ion

Explanation

Amelioration is a process that makes something better. A philanthropist might devote her life to the amelioration of poverty and hunger. Any time there's amelioration, something negative is becoming more positive. If your landlord improves the water pressure and lowers the rent, that's amelioration. Often this word has to do with words themselves and how some change in meaning over the years, becoming more positive. A good example is terrific, which once meant "causing terror" and now means "wonderful" or "awesome." Through amelioration, terrific went from a negative meaning to a positive one.

Example Sentences

Amelioration was a way to at least partially make up for it.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2025

Amelioration of my sufferings came at last, and in a strange way.

From O'er Many Lands, on Many Seas by Stables, Gordon

Did the Social Equalization of which we have spoken bring with it anything in the way of Social Amelioration?

From Collections and Recollections by Russell, George William Erskine

Amelioration was indeed to be effected by slow and cautious reforms, with the aid of the Church, but the intellectual aberrations of his youth had left an abiding impression.

From The Idea of Progress An inguiry into its origin and growth by Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell)

Amelioration has been noted as with other remedies, but never a series of authenticated cures.

From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Anshutz, Edward Pollock