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

But software companies will need to evolve to co-exist with improvements in AI, said Angelo Zino, tech analyst at CFRA Research. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026

As for sales at Kering’s other brands, Saint Laurent was stable in Q4, marking another quarter of improvement, while Bottega Veneta was up 3%. —Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026

Still, notable improvements have already been made, and there is a sense around the sport that O’Donnell is taking the necessary — if sometimes hard — steps of admitting NASCAR’s mistakes and moving forward. —Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026

Thanks in part to improvements in telescope design, astronomers began identifying thousands of nebulae and star clusters, in essence making the universe suddenly larger in the same way that advances in geology had made the earth suddenly older. —Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 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