[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":186},["ShallowReactive",2],{"w-improve":3},{"word":4,"pos":5,"definition":6,"senses":7,"antonyms":166,"tip":175,"faq":176},"improve","verb","to make something better or become better in quality, condition, or performance.",[8,54,93,131],{"label":9,"pos":5,"gloss":10,"synonyms":11},"make better","increase the quality, value, or effectiveness of something",[12,21,28,33,39,44,49],{"w":13,"intensity":14,"formality":15,"contexts":16,"nuance":19,"example":20},"enhance",3,4,[17,18],"academic","business","slightly more formal; stresses added quality or value","The new lighting will enhance the gallery’s artwork.",{"w":22,"intensity":14,"formality":23,"contexts":24,"nuance":26,"example":27},"better",2,[25,18],"casual","more casual and direct than improve","We need to better the system before launch.",{"w":29,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":30,"nuance":31,"example":32},"upgrade",[18,25],"suggests replacing with a newer or better version","They upgraded the software to improve security.",{"w":34,"intensity":14,"formality":15,"contexts":35,"nuance":37,"example":38},"refine",[17,18,36],"creative","implies careful, subtle improvement through adjustment","She refined the argument before submitting the paper.",{"w":40,"intensity":15,"formality":14,"contexts":41,"nuance":42,"example":43},"strengthen",[17,18,25],"focuses on making something more robust or effective","The training program strengthens employees’ communication skills.",{"w":45,"intensity":23,"formality":15,"contexts":46,"nuance":47,"example":48},"amend",[17,18],"formal; usually means correcting or revising to improve","The committee amended the policy after public comments.",{"w":50,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":51,"nuance":52,"example":53},"fine-tune",[18,36,25],"small, precise adjustments for better results","We fine-tuned the design after the first round of testing.",{"label":55,"pos":5,"gloss":56,"synonyms":57},"get better","become better over time, especially in health, skill, or condition",[58,63,68,73,78,83,88],{"w":59,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":60,"nuance":61,"example":62},"recover",[17,18,25],"improvement after illness, injury, or loss","She is recovering well after surgery.",{"w":64,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":65,"nuance":66,"example":67},"progress",[17,18,25],"emphasizes steady forward movement over time","His Spanish is progressing quickly.",{"w":69,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":70,"nuance":71,"example":72},"develop",[17,18,25],"broad; implies gradual growth or improvement","The child developed stronger reading skills this year.",{"w":74,"intensity":23,"formality":23,"contexts":75,"nuance":76,"example":77},"mend",[25,36],"often used for health, relationships, or damaged things","The wound is beginning to mend.",{"w":79,"intensity":23,"formality":14,"contexts":80,"nuance":81,"example":82},"heal",[17,18,25],"used for injuries, feelings, or divisions easing","The cut healed faster than expected.",{"w":84,"intensity":14,"formality":23,"contexts":85,"nuance":86,"example":87},"bounce back",[25,18],"informal; recover quickly after a setback","The company bounced back after a slow quarter.",{"w":89,"intensity":15,"formality":14,"contexts":90,"nuance":91,"example":92},"prosper",[18,17],"stronger, often about financial or overall success","The small business prospered after the rebrand.",{"label":94,"pos":5,"gloss":95,"synonyms":96},"improve skill","become more skilled through practice or learning",[97,102,107,112,116,121,126],{"w":98,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":99,"nuance":100,"example":101},"polish",[18,36,25],"adds smoothness, polish, or finishing skill","She polished her presentation before the conference.",{"w":103,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":104,"nuance":105,"example":106},"sharpen",[17,18,25],"suggests making skills or focus more precise","He sharpened his writing through daily practice.",{"w":108,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":109,"nuance":110,"example":111},"hone",[17,18,36],"careful repeated practice to make a skill more exact","The internship helped her hone her research skills.",{"w":69,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":113,"nuance":114,"example":115},[17,18,25],"broad term for growing a skill over time","He developed a talent for public speaking.",{"w":117,"intensity":14,"formality":15,"contexts":118,"nuance":119,"example":120},"cultivate",[17,18,36],"formal; build a skill or quality gradually and deliberately","She cultivated patience through years of teaching.",{"w":122,"intensity":23,"formality":23,"contexts":123,"nuance":124,"example":125},"build",[18,25],"common and plain; stresses gradual growth","You can build confidence with regular practice.",{"w":127,"intensity":14,"formality":15,"contexts":128,"nuance":129,"example":130},"advance",[17,18],"formal; move to a higher level of ability","The course is designed to advance students’ skills.",{"label":132,"pos":5,"gloss":133,"synonyms":134},"make better use","use a situation, opportunity, or resource more effectively",[135,140,145,150,155,160],{"w":136,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":137,"nuance":138,"example":139},"optimize",[17,18],"most technical; improve for maximum efficiency or results","The team optimized the workflow to save time.",{"w":141,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":142,"nuance":143,"example":144},"maximize",[17,18],"focuses on getting the greatest possible benefit","We redesigned the layout to maximize space.",{"w":146,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":147,"nuance":148,"example":149},"streamline",[18,17],"reduce waste and simplify for greater efficiency","The company streamlined its hiring process.",{"w":151,"intensity":14,"formality":15,"contexts":152,"nuance":153,"example":154},"leverage",[18,17],"formal; use something to gain an advantage","They leveraged existing data to improve planning.",{"w":156,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":157,"nuance":158,"example":159},"capitalize on",[18,25],"make productive use of an opportunity","She capitalized on the opening to grow the brand.",{"w":161,"intensity":23,"formality":162,"contexts":163,"nuance":164,"example":165},"squeeze more out of",1,[25,18],"informal; get extra value from something already available","We squeezed more out of the old equipment than expected.",[167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174],"worsen","decline","deteriorate","weaken","damage","degrade","impair","regress","Use improve when you want the broad, neutral idea of getting better. Choose more specific synonyms for the kind of improvement you mean: refine for careful adjustments, optimize for efficiency, and recover or heal for returning to health or normal condition.",[177,180,183],{"q":178,"a":179},"What is the most formal or academic synonym for improve?","Optimize is often the most technical choice when you mean making something as effective or efficient as possible. In academic and business writing, enhance and refine are also common, depending on whether you mean adding quality or making careful adjustments.",{"q":181,"a":182},"What is a stronger or milder synonym for improve?","Strengthen and maximize are generally stronger than improve because they suggest a bigger or more ambitious gain. Milder options include better and fine-tune, which sound more casual or more limited in scope.",{"q":184,"a":185},"Should I use improve or better?","Improve is the safer default in formal writing and sounds more standard. Better is common in speech and informal writing, but it can sound blunt or slightly less polished in edited prose.",1790472037636]