improvable

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•prove /ɪmˈpruv/   v., -proved, -prov•ing. 

1. to (cause to) become better: [~ + object]
   Exercise improves one's health.
   [no object]
   His health seems to be improving.
2. to increase the value of (real property) by remodeling or adding features:
   [~ + object] improved the property by remodeling the bathroom.
3. improve on, [~ + object] to produce something better than:
   tried to improve on my previous supervisor's work by adding to what she had started.

im•prov•a•ble, adj. See -prov-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•prove  (im pro̅o̅v′), v., -proved, -prov•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition:
   He took vitamins to improve his health.
2. to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
3. to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
4. to make good use of;
   turn to account:
   He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there.

v.i. 

5. to increase in value, excellence, etc.;
   become better:
   The military situation is improving.
6. to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change:
   None of the younger violinists have been able to improve on his interpretation of that work.

• Late Latin prōde (est), by reanalysis of Latin prōdest (it) is beneficial, of use, with prōde taken as a neuter noun, nominal (compare proud); v by association with prove, approve
• Anglo-French emprouer to turn (something) into profit, derivative of phrase en prou into profit, equivalent. to en (see en-¹) + prou, Old French prou, preu
• late Middle English improuen, emprouen 1425–75

im•prov′a•ble, adj. 
im•prov′a•bil′i•ty, im•prov′a•ble•ness, n. 
im•prov′a•bly, adv. 
im•prov′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. amend, emend.
  Improve, ameliorate, better imply bringing to a more desirable state.
  Improve usually implies remedying a lack or a felt need:
  to improve a process, oneself
  (as by gaining more knowledge).
  Ameliorate, a formal word, implies improving oppressive, unjust, or difficult conditions:
  to ameliorate working conditions.
  To better is to improve conditions which, though not bad, are unsatisfying:
  to better an attempt, oneself
  ( gain a higher salary).

Antonyms

• 1, 5. worsen.