improvement
Americannoun
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a change or addition by which a thing is improved.
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a person or thing that represents an advance on another in excellence or achievement.
The new landlord is a great improvement over his greedy predecessor.
- Synonyms:
- advancement, betterment, refinement
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a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.
- Synonyms:
- repair, enhancement
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something done or added to real property that increases its value.
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profitable use, as of a period of time.
noun
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the act of improving or the state of being improved
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something that improves, esp an addition or alteration
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alteration of the structure, fixtures, fittings, or decor of a building without changing its function Compare conversion
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(usually plural) a building or other works on a piece of land, adding to its value
Other Word Forms
- nonimprovement noun
- preimprovement noun
Etymology
Origin of improvement
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English improuement, from Anglo-French emprouement “something profitable (especially exploitation of land)”; improve, -ment
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.
In contrast, fewer than half of those in the control group experienced symptom improvement.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
The government is looking to cut taxes on dividends, raise them on real estate, and force underperforming companies to publish a “value-up” improvement plan, among other measures.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Forecasts estimate 59,000 new jobs, a big improvement from February’s job losses, and a steady unemployment rate of 4.4%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Construction employment picked up in March with gains of 30,000, aided by improvement in the weather.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
“Watch always,” he told them, “for signs of improvement, faster learning, quicker reaction in group A as compared to group B, and both as compared to the control group.”
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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.
