betterment

noun

bet·​ter·​ment ˈbe-tər-mənt 

1

: a making or becoming better

2

: an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility

Examples of betterment in a Sentence

working for the betterment of the lives of working people

Recent Examples on the Web

The 87-year-old change-making violence-interrupter — who spent 20 years as a Milwaukee County correctional officer and dedicated her life to the betterment of others — never hesitated to step into the middle of confrontation. —Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Tonight at least, there was betterment in sight. —Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Instead, noble ideals such as exploration, self-improvement, and the general betterment of humanity tended to be more important than a steady paycheck. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2025

That is, that mate choice would always be for betterment, for objective improvement — the mate that was absolutely the best, right? —Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

better entry 2 + -ment

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing betterment

• self-betterment

Kids Definition

betterment

noun

bet·​ter·​ment ˈbet-ər-mənt 

: improvement sense 1