improve
/ɪmˈpruːv/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To make something better, or to become better in quality, skill, health, or condition.
- We need to improve the report.
- My English is improving every month.
- The weather improved after lunch.
Adinary Nuance
Improve is a general word for making something better. Use better mostly as an adjective or adverb, not as the main verb. Enhance sounds more formal and often fits writing, design, or quality. Develop suggests growth over time, while improve focuses on change toward a better result.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- cải thiện
- Spanish
- mejorar
- Chinese
- 改善
- Japanese
- 改善する
- Korean
- 개선하다
Etymology
Improve came into English from Old French improveir, based on Late Latin improbare and related forms. Its modern meaning of making something better developed in Middle English.
Common phrases
improve skillsimprove performanceimprove healthimprove on something
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is improve formal or informal?
- It is neutral. You can use it in speaking, writing, school, and business.
- What is the difference between improve and enhance?
- Improve is broader and more common. Enhance is a little more formal and often means making something more effective or attractive.
- Can I say improve in academic writing?
- Yes. It is very common in academic and IELTS writing.
- Does improve need an object?
- Often yes, as in "improve your writing." But it can also be intransitive: "Things improved."