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Synonyms

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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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)”; improve, -ment

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.

A gauge of manufacturing activity signaled continued improvement in some of Asia’s top exporting economies midway through the first quarter, as demand for the region’s goods defied a volatile global environment.

From The Wall Street Journal

The WGA has said that it offered “comprehensive proposals with numerous union protections and improvements to compensation and benefits.”

From Los Angeles Times

Still, advances in the AI labs and noticeable improvements in the chatbots fuel more ideas of what could come.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some of the post-1989 margin improvement is because companies were allowed to merge, although that has been true of other sectors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Again, no one claims the WHO is perfect and there’s much room for improvement.

From Salon