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
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to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
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to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
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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
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to make or become better in quality; ameliorate
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(tr) to make (buildings, land, etc) more valuable by additions or betterment
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(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)
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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
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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
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have been improvingperfect progressive
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has been improvingperfect progressive
Past
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improvedsimple
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had improvedperfect
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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:
Leader of West Devon Borough Council, Councillor Mandy Ewings, said the trees helped "provide homes for wildlife, support biodiversity, improve air quality and help create the green landscapes that define our borough."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Since last year, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has suggested scaling back the joint exercises to improve the chances for engagement with North Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
"At visible wavelengths, our recent platform exceeds silicon nitride's record by a factor of 20, and we have more room to improve."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
And as AI adoption increases, companies’ productivity should improve.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
I wondered when was the last time the government had tried to improve National Highway 1, but I wondered even more about the visible desperation of everyday lives.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
It found exercise reduces pain and improves function in people with knee osteoarthritis.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
They’ve read the research documenting how the outdoors, including urban green spaces, improves cognition, social connection and physical strength, while decreasing depression and anxiety in all ages, but especially seniors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
It improves the chances of a DNA or fingerprint sample being found.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Streaming revenue improves as HBO Max expands subscriber and advertising base.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
A deep-fried bean burrito, the bufriedo proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that frying always improves a food.
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
"It made a massive difference to my fielding as well. I just think it was a vital area of my career so far that I've improved on and it's made a massive difference."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
This latest version improved on graphics quality, meaning scenes created with it had more photorealism than before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC’s “This Week” that morale aboard the Lincoln has improved since sailors learned they will finally be coming home.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
He hit .287 with 20 homers in 2025 with his improved mechanics, earning a promotion to Double-A for the first time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Still, the strikers held out for two years, while a national boycott of Marx & Haas Clothing pressured the company to sign a contract with the union for improved pay and working conditions.
From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell
CBP is building a new access road at Big Bend, improving existing roads, installing detection technology and placing vehicle barriers in strategic locations, Scott said last week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Scattering straw between vines, known as mulching, is not new, but what has changed is its purpose: from improving general soil health to helping vineyards withstand a warming climate.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Werro would go faster still, improving to one minute 53.80 seconds in Paris.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Take the construction of data centers vital to the future of AI, not to mention a constantly improving internet and better cellphone service.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
It seemed purely chance at first, an epidemic of good health that the less intelligent of the trainees were tempted to put down to their own improving techniques.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
