improve
Americanverb (used with object)
-
improves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
improved,
past participle, past
-
improving
present participle
-
to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition.
He took vitamins to improve his health.
- Antonyms:
- worsen
-
to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
-
to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
-
to make good use of; turn to account.
He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there.
verb (used without object)
-
improves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
improved,
past participle, past
-
improving
present participle
-
to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better.
The military situation is improving.
- Antonyms:
- worsen
-
to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change.
None of the younger violinists have been able to improve on his interpretation of that work.
verb
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to make or become better in quality; ameliorate
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(tr) to make (buildings, land, etc) more valuable by additions or betterment
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(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to achieve a better standard or quality in comparison (with)
to improve on last year's crop
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say improve?
To improve something is to bring it into a more desirable or excellent condition. How is improve different from the verbs ameliorate and better? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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improvabilitynoun
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improvablenessnoun
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improvernoun
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preimproveverb (used with object)
-
improvableadjective
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quasi-improvedadjective
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superimprovedadjective
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well-improvedadjective
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improvablyadverb
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improvinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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improvesimple
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improvessimple
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have improvedperfect
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has improvedperfect
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am improvingprogressive
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are improvingprogressive
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is improvingprogressive
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have been improvingperfect progressive
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has been improvingperfect progressive
Past
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improvedsimple
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had improvedperfect
-
was improvingprogressive
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were improvingprogressive
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had been improvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of improve
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English improuen, emprouen from Anglo-French emprouer “to turn (something) into profit,” derivative of phrase en prou “into profit,” equivalent to en ( see en- 1) + prou, Old French prou, preu from Late Latin prōde (est), by reanalysis of Latin prōdest “(it) is beneficial, of use,” with prōde taken as a neuter noun ( cf. proud); the sound v was made by association with prove, approve
Explanation
When you improve something, you make it better. For example, you can improve your harmonica playing with practice. Be happy when you see this word, because something is getting better — improving. Getting a tutor will usually improve your grades. Sleeping well improves your health and alertness. A haircut could improve your looks. Painters have to decide whether a painting is finished or if it can still be improved. Voters decide which candidate will improve the nation. Sometimes a sick patient will mysteriously improve. The opposite of improve is worsen or deteriorate.
Vocabulary lists containing improve
"Hitching a Ride"
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"Brothers in Hope"
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Excerpt from "Do Something!"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Over the last two years, Meta has decisively proven that it can effectively deploy AI to materially improve its customer experience,” Mahaney said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
Street lighting was also boosted to improve visibility for crossing pedestrians at Fisherman's Car Park.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
One reason to be confident that AI’s market-beating odds won’t improve in any lasting way is a famous article written nearly forty years ago by William Sharpe, the 1990 Nobel laureate in economics.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
Trump had called the meeting to discuss how to improve bookings at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to people familiar with the conversation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Mr. Stokely had instructed me to take five hundred foul shots a day to improve my “muscle memory,” as he called it.
From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman
Her comments come just days after the Education Department issued new guidance telling schools to evaluate educational technology based on evidence that it improves student outcomes.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
This mixture - known to Greek shipbuilders as zopissa - improves the adhesive's flexibility and is easier to apply when hot.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
This is a training method in which AI models improve through direct feedback, which improves their ability to carry out tasks and respond to users more effectively.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
They’ve read the research documenting how the outdoors, including urban green spaces, improves cognition, social connection and physical strength, while decreasing depression and anxiety in all ages, but especially seniors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
“Wolves wouldn’t find them interesting. Tell me what you’ve been watching on TV. We aren’t allowed TV unless a show improves our souls.”
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
Tony Crittendon, the assigner of football officials for the City Section, credited the improved sportsmanship to players, coaches and officials.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Bank of Montreal’s credit performance also improved, reflecting what White said was proactive risk management and a diversified portfolio.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
He improved his record to 23 wins in 25 fights but is still searching for his first stoppage win since 2022.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The system combines improved heat transfer with porous graphite felt that can reach temperatures above 2,550 degrees Fahrenheit.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Seth took them and resumed work the next day, his cough slightly improved.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
By keeping the ruthenium atoms isolated, the design can deliver strong catalytic performance while requiring only very small amounts of metal, improving efficiency compared with conventional systems.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
“We want to win every day, every week but developing and growing and improving every day is important to us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Supporting young people early is far more cost-effective than responding to crises later, while also improving long-term outcomes.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Surprised, Sherlock pushed back, explaining that she had been working on her relationships and felt they were improving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
I continued playing in white tennis tournaments on weekends, and my game kept on improving.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
