Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense improves, present participle improving, past tense, past participle improved
1. verb
If something improves or if you improve it, it gets better.
Both the texture and condition of your hair should improve. [VERB]
The weather is beginning to improve. [VERB]
Time won't improve the situation. [VERB noun]
He improved their house. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: get better, pick up, look up [informal], develop More Synonyms of improve
2. verb
If a skill you have improves or you improve a skill, you get better at it.
Their French has improved enormously. [VERB]
He said he was going to improve his football. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: make better, perfect, polish, strengthen More Synonyms of improve
3. verb
If you improve after an illness or an injury, your health gets better or you get stronger.
He had improved so much the doctor had cut his dosage. [VERB]
Synonyms: recuperate, recover, rally, mend More Synonyms of improve
4. verb
If you improveon a previous achievement of your own or of someone else, you achieve a better standard or result.
We need to improve on our performance against France. [VERB + on]
More Synonyms of improve
improve in British English
(ɪmˈpruːv)
verb
1.
to make or become better in quality; ameliorate
2. (transitive)
to make (buildings, land, etc) more valuable by additions or betterment
3. (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
4. on the improve
Derived forms
improvable (imˈprovable)
adjective
improvability (imˌprovaˈbility) or improvableness (imˈprovableness)
noun
improvably (imˈprovably)
adverb
improver (imˈprover)
noun
improvingly (imˈprovingly)
adverb
Word origin
C16: from Anglo-French emprouer to turn to profit, from en prou into profit, from prou profit, from Late Latin prōde beneficial, from Latin prōdesse to be advantageous, from pro-1 + esse to be
improve in American English
(ɪmˈpruv)
verb transitiveWord forms: imˈproved or imˈproving
1. Rare
to use profitably or to good advantage
to improve one's leisure by studying
2.
to raise to a better quality or condition; make better
3. US
to make (land or structures) more valuable by cultivation, construction, etc.
verb intransitive
4.
to become better in quality or condition
Idioms:
improve on
SYNONYMY NOTE: improve, better1 both imply a correcting or advancing of something that is not in itself necessarilybad, the former by supplying a lack or want [to improve a method] and the latter by seeking something more satisfying [he's left his job to better himself]; ameliorate implies a bad, oppressive, or intolerable condition to begin with [to ameliorate the lot of the poor]
OPPOSITES: worsen, impair
Derived forms
improvability (imˌprovaˈbility)
noun
improvable (imˈprovable)
adjective
improver (imˈprover)
noun
Word origin
earlier improw < Anglo-Fr emprower < en-, in + prou, gain, advantage < LL prode, advantage (back-form. < L prodesse, to be of advantage): see pro-2 & is1
Examples of 'improve' in a sentence
improve
You need time to improve and to get a better team.
The Sun (2016)
The surface drainage will be much improved too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Yoga can improve this and make you body aware.
The Sun (2017)
Service standards have improved across all airports.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He said his work will continue when the weather improves.
The Sun (2016)
Such a diet possibly offers the potential to improve overall health as well as longevity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
With time we will learn and improve in this situation and see games out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Your employers are admirable and have improved your work skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This'enhanced sight' improves as they become more experienced.
The Sun (2016)
My own efficiency and effectiveness was enormously improved as a result.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We must improve to get the victory we deserve.
The Sun (2012)
His fielding has improved so much and he performed two crucial run outs.
The Sun (2011)
The manager will get what he needs to make sure we improve the squad next season.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The fact is that daylight improves standards in public life.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
This was not only because the weather improved.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We need to raise awareness of the symptoms and improve access to health care.
The Sun (2014)
But his voice improved to become this amazing instrument.
The Sun (2011)
We should improve our skills and our security and remove these people.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We all know competition improves the quality of services and pushes down the cost.
The Sun (2011)
The organisation also campaigns to raise awareness and understanding of mental health conditions and improve services.
The Sun (2015)
It would make more sense to let the people stay and pay rent until their situation improves.
The Sun (2009)
We are getting better and improving fast.
The Sun (2015)
It is very difficult for a manager to go in and suddenly make players dramatically improve.
The Sun (2016)
Part of the problem was that there was no incentive to improve competition or standards.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He also had the benefit of improved weather in the second week.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
So staff feel better about themselves and their health will improve so businesses gain.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is also training to improve social skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
More vigorous competition will improve the quality of representation.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Last night his condition had improved slightly after three weeks in hospital and he was critical but stable.
The Sun (2013)
It has meant that huge amounts of money have suddenly become available to improve infrastructure and to pay down debt.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The colour spectrum of make-up bases has also improved enormously.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This is why spots and aches are often much improved after a night's sleep.
Whiteside, Dr Mike Banish Headaches -how to obtain fast, drug-free relief from headache (1990)
Time On has improved immeasurably over the winter, which she entered with one placed effort from three outings.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Time On has improved since being stepped up to middle distances and was impressive when making all the running in listed company at Chester.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
improve
British English: improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ VERB
If something improves, or if you improve it, it gets better.
The weather is improving.
Time won't improve the situation.
American English: improve
Arabic: يُحَسِّنُ
Brazilian Portuguese: melhorar
Chinese: 改进
Croatian: poboljšati
Czech: zlepšit (se)
Danish: forbedre
Dutch: verbeteren
European Spanish: mejorar
Finnish: parantua suoritus tms.
French: améliorer
German: verbessern
Greek: βελτιώνω
Italian: migliorare
Japanese: 改善する
Korean: 개선하다 보다 좋은
Norwegian: forbedre
Polish: ulepszyć
European Portuguese: melhorar
Romanian: a îmbunătăți
Russian: улучшать
Latin American Spanish: mejorar
Swedish: förbättra (sig)
Thai: ทำให้ดีขึ้น
Turkish: geliştirmek iyileşme
Ukrainian: удосконалювати
Vietnamese: cải thiện
All related terms of 'improve'
improve on
to do or make better than, as by additions or changes
improve mood
Your mood is the way you are feeling at a particular time. If you are in a good mood , you feel cheerful . If you are in a bad mood , you feel angry and impatient .
improve memory
Your memory is your ability to remember things.
improve quality
The quality of something is how good or bad it is.
improve education
Education involves teaching people various subjects, usually at a school or college, or being taught .
improve security
Security refers to all the measures that are taken to protect a place, or to ensure that only people with permission enter it or leave it.
improve technology
Technology refers to methods, systems, and devices which are the result of scientific knowledge being used for practical purposes.
improve treatment
Treatment is medical attention given to a sick or injured person or animal.
on the improve
improving
improve performance
Someone's or something's performance is how successful they are or how well they do something.
improve productivity
Productivity is the rate at which goods are produced.
improve the situation
You use situation to refer generally to what is happening in a particular place at a particular time, or to refer to what is happening to you.
improve the environment
Someone's environment is all the circumstances , people, things, and events around them that influence their life.
improve the life of
Someone's life is the period of time during which they are alive .
Chinese translation of 'improve'
improve
(ɪmˈpruːv)
vt
[quality, conditions, situation]改进(進) (gǎijìn)
vi
[weather, situation]改善 (gǎishàn)
[pupil, performance]进(進)步 (jìnbù)
[patient, health]改善 (gǎishàn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make or become better in quality
He improved their house.
Synonyms
enhance
They want to enhance their reputation abroad.
better
Our parents came here with the hope of bettering themselves.
add to
upgrade
Medical facilities are being reorganized and upgraded.
amend
The committee put forward proposals to amend the penal system.
mend
There will be disciplinary action if you do not mend your ways.
augment
She was searching for a way to augment her income.
embellish
touch up
ameliorate
Nothing can be done to ameliorate the situation.
polish up
Opposites
damage
,
harm
,
mar
,
worsen
,
impair
2 (verb)
Definition
to make or become better in quality
The weather is beginning to improve.
Synonyms
get better
pick up
Industrial production is beginning to pick up.
look up (informal)
Things are looking up in the computer industry.
develop
They allowed me to develop their original idea.
advance
The country has advanced from a rural society to an industrial power.
perk up
She perked up and began to laugh.
take a turn for the better (informal)
His fortunes belatedly took a turn for the better.
3 (verb)
Definition
to make or become better in quality
He said he wanted to improve his football.
Synonyms
make better
perfect
He worked hard to perfect his drawing technique.
polish
Polish up your writing skills on a one-week course.
strengthen
temper
a new way of tempering glass
refine
Surgical techniques are constantly being refined.
cultivate
My father encouraged me to cultivate my mind.
elevate
hone
honing the skills of senior managers
4 (verb)
She had improved so much the doctor cut her dosage.
Synonyms
recuperate
I went away to the country to recuperate.
recover
He is recovering after sustaining a knee injury.
rally
He rallied enough to thank his doctor.
mend
He must have an operation to mend torn knee ligaments.
The arm is broken, but you'll mend.
make progress
turn the corner
gain ground
gain strength
convalesce
After two weeks I was allowed home, where I convalesced for three months.
be on the mend
grow better
make strides
take on a new lease of life (informal)
5 (verb)
Synonyms
reform
Under such a system where is the incentive to reform?
shape up (informal)
get it together (informal)
turn over a new leaf
She realized she was in the wrong and promised to turn over a new leaf.
get your act together (informal)
clean up your act (informal)
pull your socks up (British, informal)
phrasal verb
See improve on something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advance
The country has advanced from a rural society to an industrial power.
Synonyms
improve,
rise,
grow,
develop,
reform,
pick up,
progress,
thrive,
upgrade,
multiply,
prosper,
make strides
in the sense of ameliorate
Definition
to make (something) better
Nothing can be done to ameliorate the situation.
Synonyms
improve,
better,
benefit,
reform,
advance,
promote,
amend,
elevate,
raise,
mend,
mitigate,
make better,
assuage,
meliorate
in the sense of amend
Definition
to make small changes to something such as a piece of writing or a contract, in order to improve it
The committee put forward proposals to amend the penal system.