improvement
Americannoun
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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
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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
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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
-
(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.
"I'm sure they can recognise and acknowledge, especially the first half, the improvement there," said former Brentford boss Frank.
From Barron's
These improvements allow astronomers to examine the Milky Way in far greater detail than before, uncovering features that were previously difficult or impossible to see.
From Science Daily
But many households are still struggling to cover essential bills, and others are unconvinced of improvement.
From BBC
The company was privatized a few years ago, which means there should be continuous operational improvements.
From Barron's
He knew what he was saying when he wrote appreciatively to Edward Jenner, the English physician who discovered vaccination, that “medicine has never before produced any single improvement of such utility.”
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.
