improvement

American  

[im-proov-muhnt] / ɪmˈpruv mənt /

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:

   repair, enhancement

5. something done or added to real property that increases its value.

6. profitable use, as of a period of time.

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improvement British  

/ 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

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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)”; 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.

Example Sentences

Through his work in business improvement districts in Hollywood and South Park, he said, he has seen the city do a poor job with basic services such as emptying trash cans and maintaining clean streets.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

And while adjusted operating margins rose to 14.4% in the latest quarter from 14% last year, some investors may be holding out for a more aggressive improvement in profitability.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Rivian on Thursday also reported a first-quarter adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $472 million, an 8% improvement compared to expectations, according to FactSet.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Davidson analyst Matt Curtis, in a note to clients, said the forecast for a same-store-sales decline this year “still implies a significant improvement through the remainder of the year.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

The flight instructors mistakenly attributed the pilots’ deterioration to their praise of them, and likewise the pilots’ improvement to their criticism; both, however, were simply regressions to the more likely mean performance.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

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