improve

/ɪmˈpruv/

/ɪmˈpruv/

Other forms: improved; improving; improves

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.

Definitions of improve

1. verb

   to make better
   “The editor improved the manuscript with his changes”

   synonyms: ameliorate, amend, better, meliorate

   ameliorate, better, meliorate

   get better

   types:

   alleviate, assuage, palliate, relieve

   provide physical relief, as from pain

   aid, help

   improve the condition of

   regenerate, revitalize

   restore strength

   enrich

   make better or improve in quality

   build up, develop

   change the use of and make available or usable

   turn around

   improve dramatically

   help

   improve; change for the better

   upgrade

   improve what was old or outdated

   condition

   put into a better state

   emend

   make improvements or corrections to

   iron out, put right, straighten out

   settle or put right

   enhance

   make better or more attractive

   bushel, doctor, fix, furbish up, mend, repair, restore, touch on

   restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

   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

   refine or make more perfect or effective

   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

   groom, neaten

   care for one's external appearance

   curry, dress, groom

   give a neat appearance to

   soothe

   cause to feel better

   bring around, cure, heal

   provide a cure for, make healthy again

   comfort, ease

   lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate

   redevelop

   change the plans for the use of (land)

   fill out, round out

   make bigger or better or more complete

   optimise, optimize

   make optimal; get the most out of; use best

   choke, throttle

   reduce the air supply

   recondition

   bring into an improved condition

   follow up

   increase the effectiveness or success of by further action

   retouch, touch up

   alter so as to produce a more desirable appearance

   rejuvenate

   make younger or more youthful

   fiddle, tinker

   try to fix or mend

   fill

   plug with a substance

   patch, piece

   repair by adding pieces

   cobble

   repair or mend

   point, repoint

   repair the joints of bricks

   trouble-shoot, troubleshoot

   solve problems

   patch, patch up

   mend by putting a patch on

   dress up, window-dress

   make something appear superficially attractive

   slick up, smarten up, spiff up, spruce, spruce up, titivate, tittivate

   make neat, smart, or trim

   brush up, burnish, polish, polish up, round, round off

   bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state

   over-refine, overrefine

   refine too much or with excess of subtlety

   rectify, refine

   reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities

   purge

   rid of impurities

   feed, fertilise, fertilize

   provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to

   resole, sole

   put a new sole on

   revamp, vamp

   provide (a shoe) with a new vamp

   heel, reheel

   put a new heel on

   settle

   establish or develop as a residence

   polish, shine, smooth, smoothen

   make (a surface) shine

   darn

   repair by sewing

   benefit, do good

   be beneficial for

   socialise, socialize

   train for a social environment

   groom, prepare, train

   educate for a future role or function

   co-educate, coeducate

   educate persons of both sexes together

   school

   educate in or as if in a school

   civilise, civilize, cultivate, educate, school, train

   teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment

   become, suit

   enhance the appearance of

   type of:

   alter, change, modify

   cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
2. verb

   get better
   “The weather improved toward evening”

   synonyms: ameliorate, better, meliorate

   ameliorate, amend, better, meliorate

   make better

   types:

   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

   gain vigor, percolate, perk, perk up, pick up

   gain or regain energy

   snap back

   recover quickly

   scab

   form a scab

   skin over

   grow new skin over an injury

   granulate

   form granulating tissue

   type of:

   change state, turn

   undergo a transformation or a change of position or action