improvement
Americannoun
-
improvements
plural
-
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
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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
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
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 13
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-ment
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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:
"For the portion that is to be converted into a cafe and shop, the dilapidated state means that any intervention is an improvement," the statement added.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Conway, who is the agency’s chief for resource protection and improvement, added that some aspects of their mission wouldn’t change; the land would remain “actively managed.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
"It did not lead to any significant improvement in people's living standards or business competitiveness".
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
The past 75 years have brought the greatest improvement of human welfare in history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Olmsted recognized that Burnham’s forces could not possibly finish patching and painting by May 1 and that his own work would be far from complete, but he saw clear improvement.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
But even with the improvements to California’s film and TV tax credits, the state’s program still has limitations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Advocates have pointed to mounting research in other cities that showed road improvements along high-injury street corridors were more effective than police at changing driver behaviors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Her team wanted to determine what level of participation was most consistently associated with improvements in cardiovascular health.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
The brokerage also factors in the company’s product-mix improvements stemming from increased sales of materials for European electric-vehicle applications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 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.
