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improvement
/ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
positive change or enhancement
The new software led to a significant improvement in system performance.
The software upgrade made the system work much better.
general
An example or instance of improving or being improved.
Her grades showed steady improvement over the semester.
She got better grades each month.
Often used to describe progress in skills, systems, or conditions.
general
A change or addition that makes something better.
The new design is a major improvement over the old one.
The new design is much better than the previous version.
Can refer to tangible upgrades or intangible enhancements.
Collocations
significant improvementa large positive changecontinuous improvementongoing enhancementarea of improvementa skill or aspect needing enhancement
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Use with 'in' for areas of focus
Say 'improvement in [area]' (e.g., 'improvement in communication') rather than 'improvement of [area]' for better clarity.
Gold Rule
Avoid redundancy
Do not pair 'improvement' with 'better' or 'improved' (e.g., 'better improvement' is redundant; use 'improvement' alone).
Word Origin
From Middle English 'improvement' (action of improving), from Anglo-Norman French 'emprovement', from 'emprover' (to turn to profit), from Old French 'en-' (in) + 'prover' (to test, prove).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in academic, professional, and personal contexts to describe positive changes. Often paired with adjectives like 'slight', 'dramatic', or 'gradual' to specify the extent.
Word Breakdown
im-
into
prefixprove
test or approve
root-ment
result or action of
suffixEnglish Dictionary