Library / English Dictionary

IMPROVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get better

Example:

The weather improved toward evening

Synonyms:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "improve" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Verb group:

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "improve"):

convalesce; recover; recuperate (get over an illness or shock)

heal (get healthy again)

reform; see the light; straighten out (change for the better)

surge (see one's performance improve)

pick up; turn around (improve significantly; go from bad to good)

bounce back; get over; get well (improve in health)

heal; mend (heal or recover)

fructify (become productive or fruitful)

upgrade (get better travel conditions)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Their earnings improve this year

Derivation:

improvement (a change for the better; progress in development)

improvement (a condition superior to an earlier condition)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To make better

Example:

The editor improved the manuscript with his changes

Synonyms:

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "improve" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate (get better)

Verb group:

ameliorate; better; improve; meliorate (get better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "improve"):

reform (make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices)

reform (improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition)

beautify; embellish; fancify; prettify (make more beautiful)

build (improve the cleansing action of)

hone; perfect (make perfect or complete)

down; fine-tune; polish; refine (improve or perfect by pruning or polishing)

distill; make pure; purify; sublimate (remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation)

fructify (make productive or fruitful)

lift; raise (invigorate or heighten)

advance (develop further)

upgrade (give better travel conditions to)

educate (give an education to)

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

enhance (make better or more attractive)

iron out; put right; straighten out (settle or put right)

emend (make improvements or corrections to)

condition (put into a better state)

upgrade (to improve what was old or outdated)

help (improve; change for the better)

turn around (improve dramatically)

build up; develop (change the use of and make available or usable)

enrich (make better or improve in quality)

regenerate; revitalize (restore strength)

aid; help (improve the condition of)

alleviate; assuage; palliate; relieve (provide physical relief, as from pain)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They improve their earnings this year

Derivation:

improvement (the act of improving something)

improver (a component that is added to something to improve it)

improver (someone devoted to the promotion of human welfare and to social reforms)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Meditation may help relax the body and mind and improve overall health and well-being.

(Meditation, NCI Dictionary)

It is also used to improve appetite in patients with cancer.

(Megestrol, NCI Dictionary)

A sulphur-containing amino acid, methionine improves the tone and pliability of skin, hair, and strengthens nails.

(Methionine, NCI Thesaurus)

Symptoms can worsen or improve or stop altogether.

(Ankylosing Spondylitis, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease)

Liposomal annamycin is less toxic and shows improved antitumor activity compared to annamycin.

(Annamycin Liposomal, NCI Thesaurus)

My remaining stock I carried with me, part in money and part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

DMOG treatment has also been found to improve the cancer-killing properties of human T cells in other studies.

(Oxygen can impair cancer immunotherapy in mice, NIH)

Just think how you have improved in the short time I have known you.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He wished to improve that which was already perfect—to draw the rope tighter yet round the neck of his unfortunate victim—and so he ruined all.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I know little of the game at present,” said he, “but I shall be glad to improve myself, for in my situation in life—”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)