improve[verb]Synonyms:- enhance, advance, better, correct, help, rectify, touch up, upgrade
- progress, develop, make strides, pick up, rally, rise
Contrasted words: diminish, downgrade, lessen, lower, decline, deteriorate, fail, flag, languish, run down, sink, weaken
Related Idioms: gain ground, make progress
Related Words: cultivate,
develop,
perfect,
correct,
emend,
rectify,
reform,
remedy,
edit,
revise,
enhance,
enrich,
refine,
rub up,
upgrade,
advance,
better,
progress,
recover,
rally,
revive,
strengthen [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
im‧prove S2 W1 /ɪmˈpruːv/
verb [
Word Family: verb:
improve;
noun:
improvement;
adjective:
improved]
[
Date: 1500-1600;
Origin: emprowe 'to improve' (15-16 centuries), from Anglo-French emprouer 'to make a profit', from Old French prou 'advantage, profit'; probably influenced by approve]
[intransitive and transitive] to make something better, or to become better:
a course for students wishing to improve their English The doctors say she is improving (=after being ill). You could use the money for improving your home. Many wines improve with age (=get better as they get older).
REGISTERIn everyday English, people often say something
gets better rather than
improves:
Her English is definitely getting better. I hope things get better soon.improve on/upon something phrasal verb to do something better than before or make something better than before:
Bertorelli has scored 165 points, and I don’t think anyone will improve on that. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲