improvement

noun

im·​prove·​ment im-ˈprüv-mənt 

1

: the act or process of improving

improvement in the patient's condition

2

a

: the state of being improved

especially : enhanced value or excellence

I've noticed improvement in your work.

b

: an instance of such improvement : something that enhances value or excellence

The editor made some improvements to the article.

Synonyms of improvement

• advance
• advancement
• enhancement
• breakthrough
• development

Examples of improvement in a Sentence

Doctors were amazed by the sudden improvement in her medical condition.

I've noticed a significant improvement in your work since the spring.

The editor made some improvements to the article before it was printed.

They spent the money on new kitchen cabinets and other home improvements.

Recent Examples on the Web

The younger James, who was drafted in the second round in 2024 to form the first father-son duo in NBA history, showed steady improvement during his second season. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

That increase is because pitchers have become more athletic thanks to improvements in training, nutrition, and biomechanical development. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

Shared public research can accelerate energy optimization and guide hardware developers toward improvements in the training and inference capabilities that power their processors. — Neil Björkman, Fortune, 1 July 2026

The couples in that study ranged from two months to 15 years together, and the improvement showed up after a task as short as seven minutes. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing improvement

• home-improvement
• self-improvement

Rhymes for improvement

• movement

Kids Definition

improvement

noun

im·​prove·​ment im-ˈprüv-mənt 

1

: the act or process of improving

2

a

: increased value or excellence

b

: something that adds to the value or appearance (as of a house)

Legal Definition

improvement

noun

im·​prove·​ment

: a usually permanent addition to or modification of real property that enhances its capital value and is distinguished from an ordinary repair in being designed to make the property more useful or valuable