improve
Americanverb (used with object)
-
improves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
improved,
past participle, past
-
improving
present participle
-
to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition.
He took vitamins to improve his health.
- Antonyms:
- worsen
-
to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
-
to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
-
to make good use of; turn to account.
He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there.
verb (used without object)
-
improves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
improved,
past participle, past
-
improving
present participle
-
to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better.
The military situation is improving.
- Antonyms:
- worsen
-
to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change.
None of the younger violinists have been able to improve on his interpretation of that work.
verb
-
to make or become better in quality; ameliorate
-
(tr) to make (buildings, land, etc) more valuable by additions or betterment
-
(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to achieve a better standard or quality in comparison (with)
to improve on last year's crop
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say improve?
To improve something is to bring it into a more desirable or excellent condition. How is improve different from the verbs ameliorate and better? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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improvabilitynoun
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improvablenessnoun
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improvernoun
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preimproveverb (used with object)
-
improvableadjective
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quasi-improvedadjective
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superimprovedadjective
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well-improvedadjective
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improvablyadverb
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improvinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
improvesimple
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improvessimple
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have improvedperfect
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has improvedperfect
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am improvingprogressive
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are improvingprogressive
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is improvingprogressive
-
have been improvingperfect progressive
-
has been improvingperfect progressive
Past
-
improvedsimple
-
had improvedperfect
-
was improvingprogressive
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were improvingprogressive
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had been improvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of improve
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English improuen, emprouen from Anglo-French emprouer “to turn (something) into profit,” derivative of phrase en prou “into profit,” equivalent to en ( see en- 1) + prou, Old French prou, preu from Late Latin prōde (est), by reanalysis of Latin prōdest “(it) is beneficial, of use,” with prōde taken as a neuter noun ( cf. proud); the sound v was made by association with prove, approve
Explanation
When you improve something, you make it better. For example, you can improve your harmonica playing with practice. Be happy when you see this word, because something is getting better — improving. Getting a tutor will usually improve your grades. Sleeping well improves your health and alertness. A haircut could improve your looks. Painters have to decide whether a painting is finished or if it can still be improved. Voters decide which candidate will improve the nation. Sometimes a sick patient will mysteriously improve. The opposite of improve is worsen or deteriorate.
Vocabulary lists containing improve
"Hitching a Ride"
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"Brothers in Hope"
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Excerpt from "Do Something!"
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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:
"AI presents significant opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen public service delivery, stimulate economic growth and support the creation of new industries and employment opportunities," the presidency said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
He started working with elderly people in his 20s when he helped run a program using yoga and meditation to improve their health.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
They also raise the possibility that combining brain activity measurements with established Alzheimer's biomarkers could improve the identification of people who would benefit most from earlier monitoring or future preventive treatments.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
Next week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will convene industry leaders to urge them to improve safeguarding practices - while Channel 4 bosses are due to appear in front an MPs on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
He was appalled by children’s poor singing quality, and began to create teaching methods to improve it.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Larger studies would be needed to establish whether changing daily schedules directly improves these outcomes.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
However, researchers have not yet tested whether reducing fructose consumption improves outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
Research also shows that high school CTE participation improves student outcomes.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026
Under Roberto Martinez, with 28 goals in 37 games, 0.756 per match, improves the 0.624 with Santos.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
If and when the economy improves, the justification for a “softer” approach would no longer exist.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Based on the improved DNA-based blood tests, the Yale researchers identified two particularly promising approaches for reducing biological age markers:
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
By helping the body maintain its natural internal clock, a predictable routine could offer health benefits that extend beyond improved sleep.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
"Her confidence improved and, after the first meeting, she came back home and she told me that she's very grateful for a community like this," she said.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
With improved treatment, the benefits could now outweigh the harms of widespread testing for middle-aged men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
However, our capacity to cooperate with large numbers of strangers has improved dramatically.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
The researchers believe their findings could help shift IBS care toward improving the underlying health of the gut rather than focusing exclusively on avoiding foods that cause discomfort.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
Productivity is already improving, and AI may lead to breakthroughs in medicine, materials science, robotics and other areas as well.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
She said any investment in improving the infrastructure of the water system was welcome.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
Still, firmer currency management across Asia—led by managed yuan appreciation and improving prospects for a firmer yen—should limit broader dollar upside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026
Smith knew Seabiscuit was improving rapidly, but when he sent him out for workouts before the track dockers, he gave him only easy gallops that veiled his speed.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
