improvement
Americannoun
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 13
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
-ment
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Those who ate within a daily window of roughly eight to nine hours showed greater improvement on certain thinking tests than participants who spread their meals across about 12 hours.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
There are more than 40 trunk line projects in the agency’s capital improvement plan, which will be in construction from now until 2057.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Not all data point to an improvement for the working class.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"He offers energy, outstanding work rate and an exceptional range of passing. His improvement in recent years has been really impressive and underlines his desire to be the best player he can be," Viana said.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Dr. Howard told me that even if the light box works, it will take a few months to start seeing any improvement, but I still glance down at myself afterward.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
In other words, the health improvements they provide are considered substantial enough to justify their price.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Our focus on premium products continues to drive improvements in credit performance,” Chief Financial Officer Christophe Le Caillec said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
A £5m fund to build 472 homes between the 2026/27 and 2028/29 financial years was approved by councillors in February, alongside money for public realm improvements at Hunter Square, Cramond and Portobello.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
That wasn’t enough for Kennedy, who says the school has acted “willful, malicious, oppressive, fraudulent” and “despicable” as it planned its facility improvements.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Along with improvements in his physical and mental strength, the training helped boost Roosevelt’s self-confidence.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
