improvement
Americannoun
-
improvements
plural
-
a change or addition by which a thing is improved.
-
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
-
a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.
- Synonyms:
- repair, enhancement
-
something done or added to real property that increases its value.
-
profitable use, as of a period of time.
noun
-
the act of improving or the state of being improved
-
something that improves, esp an addition or alteration
-
alteration of the structure, fixtures, fittings, or decor of a building without changing its function Compare conversion
-
(usually plural) a building or other works on a piece of land, adding to its value
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of improvement
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English improuement, from Anglo-French emprouement “something profitable (especially exploitation of land)”; see improve, -ment
Explanation
When there's improvement, something is getting better. Going from a C to an A in math is an improvement. If you want to improve something, you've got to make improvements. Lots of people strive for personal improvement: maybe it's losing a few pounds for an improvement in their appearance, or reading more for an improvement in intelligence. Businesses look for improvement in customer service or profitability. Any change for the better or step in the right direction is an improvement.
Vocabulary lists containing improvement
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 6
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 13
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-ment
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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:
He’s shown perseverance and improvement over the course of this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
Cooling a metal generally increases its strength, but this improvement can come with a serious drawback.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
Chief Executive Noel Wallace said the recent period marked Colgate-Palmolive’s fourth quarter of sequential improvement in worldwide volume growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Management of food safety at Ynyshir was categorised by inspectors as needing major improvement, as was cleanliness and condition of facilities, while "hygienic food handling" was rated "generally satisfactory".
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
“I’m afraid that will have to wait. Your dad went to the home improvement store to pick up some more flooring for the spare room.”
From "Trouble at the Arcade (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #1)" by Franklin W. Dixon
The team also introduced several important improvements to the driving system.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
"Growth can't wait. People need to see improvements in employment and in living standards in all parts of the UK."
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
If local governments are smart, they can take the opportunity to make improvements to their communities, such as making the centers pay for electricity upgrades and using the tax revenue to invest in schools.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Metro also didn’t get $23 million for additional improvements at transit hubs, including seating, shade structures, Wi-Fi, restrooms, hydration stations, vending machines and concessions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
And when none of them came back with improvements, I was grounded.
From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
