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
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to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
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to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
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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)
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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
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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"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "Do Something!"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
For instance, exercise can improve sleep, mood and reduce stress levels.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
The primary goal of the group is to "improve the wellbeing of people in the area".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
An Amazon spokesman said the company purchases books through commercial channels “to help develop and improve the products and services our customers use.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
The spokesperson, who did not provide their name in an emailed statement, said the agency consistently looks for ways to improve detention facilities to ensure they provide detainees the best care.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
She tilted the screen toward the boy and read aloud: “‘Intimate relationships among senior citizens can improve physical and mental health.’”
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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
It found exercise reduces pain and improves function in people with knee osteoarthritis.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 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
The overall outlook improves sharply in 2027, when global oil demand is expected to return to growth, rising by 2.4 million barrels a day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
That improves our chances of rounding them up.”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
In contrast to the results seen with the higher intake group, lower daily doses of vitamin D were not associated with improved cognitive scores.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Blood pressure improved in the peppermint oil group, while the placebo group showed no meaningful change.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Emery has constantly needed to roll with the punches during his three-and-a-half years in charge but he has consistently improved Villa, having taken over when they were 14th following Steven Gerrard's reign.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Daiwa estimates AI labs and apps will see losses decline sequentially thanks to better model training efficiency, improved inference efficiency and lower marketing intensity, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The morning quickly improved when Felix decided to ride to school with his mom.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
“In recent weeks, we made important progress toward improving Canada’s position as having the best deal in the world with the U.S.,”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
Last month, Canada's central bank said the economy was "showing signs of improving," noting that some businesses were adjusting to US protectionism, including by finding new customers abroad.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 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
Mekatek said it shared concerns about the drop in sewin and had spent more than "40 years developing and improving our processes to ensure we are not a factor in that reduction".
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The improving visibility revealed Polly, the chambermaid who everyone said was simple, and who stayed on late whenever there was a do.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
