Synonyms of improve

improve

verb

im-ˈprüv 

as in to enhance

to make better

a little salt would improve this bland food

Synonyms & Similar Words

• enhance
• help
• better
• refine
• amend
• remedy
• upgrade
• remediate
• ameliorate
• perfect
• enrich
• reinforce
• strengthen
• correct
• intensify
• rehabilitate
• meliorate
• boost
• rectify
• reform
• revise
• refurbish
• fine-tune
• edit
• rework
• revamp
• fine
• fortify
• polish
• hone
• emend
• beef (up)
• redraft
• rehab
• retouch
• touch up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• worsen
• impair
• hurt
• harm
• damage
• injure
• reduce
• spoil
• tarnish
• vitiate
• flaw
• diminish
• disfigure
• lessen
• blight
• mar
• lower
• deface
• endamage
• blemish

Synonym Chooser

How is the word improve distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of improve are ameliorate, better, and help. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care

immigrants hoping to better their lot

When is it sensible to use ameliorate instead of improve?

Although the words ameliorate and improve have much in common, ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

When would help be a good substitute for improve?

While the synonyms help and improve are close in meaning, help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of improve

The formula uses encapsulated retinal to help smooth and support collagen over time, paired with kangaroo paw flower extract, a plant ingredient known for helping improve the look of elasticity and firmness. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026

As in the first study, what improved was how people rated their sleep. — J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026

Consider who inherits, their tax situation, whether trusts are involved, whether Roth conversions make sense and whether charitable planning could improve the result. — Ronald Stair, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

In August, Paramount added Nick Lee, who spent four years working on AI at Microsoft and 16 years at Google before that, and Suzanne Pellican, whose prior eight years at Google included improving its ads product with AI. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026