improve
Americanverb (used with object)
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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"
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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:
"We can improve in the defensive phases but today was an unfair result," said De Zerbi.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Finding these recurring patterns gives scientists possible starting points for investigating the mechanisms behind aging and, eventually, identifying biological targets that might help improve health over time.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
Hiring probably didn’t improve much in August, either.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
The fix, it seemed, was simple: eliminate phones and everything else would improve.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
I’d already proven with Gran and Mrs. B that it could improve your mood.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
The question it forces is the right one: If health improves and science delivers on even a fraction of what is currently in development, does this plan still work?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
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 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
One 2026 study found unstable surface training significantly improves postural control, or the ability to remain stable, in older adults.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
As my health improves I begin to worry: this won’t last.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Insulin sensitivity also improved across all three groups, helping the body control blood sugar more effectively.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
Eric has never shied away from expressing his opinions on the state of high school sports and how they can be improved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh said while inflation readings looked better than expected over the summer, they did not show that the current picture had "meaningfully improved".
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Much of this progress stems from improved medical treatments—e.g., statins, immunotherapies, GLP-1s—disease screenings and less tobacco use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The morning quickly improved when Felix decided to ride to school with his mom.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
At that point, prospects of conditions improving sufficiently for play to resume seemed remote.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Researchers are also interested in whether improving sleep could eventually help prevent or slow disease progression among people with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
But Amazon said its Prime Air program is improving as it grows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Dickson said the company understands the factors dragging on Old Navy’s performance, and is taking steps that are improving results.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
It was the essential precondition for the new era of intellectual revolution, for it is a necessary concept which any society that saw itself as improving knowledge would have to develop.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
