improvement

[ im-proov-muhnt ]

noun

1. an act of improving or the state of being improved.
2. a change or addition by which a thing is improved.
3. 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

4. a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.

   Synonyms: enhancement, repair

5. something done or added to real property that increases its value.
6. profitable use, as of a period of time.

improvement

/ ɪmˈpruːvmənt /

noun

1. the act of improving or the state of being improved
2. something that improves, esp an addition or alteration
3. alteration of the structure, fixtures, fittings, or decor of a building without changing its function Compare conversion
4. usually plural a building or other works on a piece of land, adding to its value

Other Words From

• nonim·provement noun
• preim·provement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of improvement¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English improuement, from Anglo-French emprouement “something profitable (especially exploitation of land)”; improve, -ment

Example Sentences

The Welsh government said it took health inequality "very seriously" and a "number of improvements to data collection and analysis" had been implemented.

From BBC

Helinet plans to spend $25 million redeveloping the airport facility, demolishing two deteriorating hangars and building two new ones, along with new office space, shops and other improvements.

From Los Angeles Times

“We are close to finalizing our restructuring plan with our partner, and we expect our results in China in 2025 to show year-over-year improvement.”

From New York Times

Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge has just finished a clinical trial on 40 pineal cyst patients to try to answer the question as to whether this operation is causing a real, or placebo improvement.

From BBC

Explaining further, Dr. Toshikazu Ikuta, one of the researchers, said, "The primary outcome for our study was improvement in scores related to negative symptoms."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• advance
• advancement
• change
• development
• enhancement
• gain
• growth
• increase
• progress
• recovery
• renovation
• revision
• rise
• upgrade