Standard Lemma guide

disimprovement

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /dɪsɪmˈpɹuːvm(ə)nt/
  • General-American: /dɪsɪmˈpɹuvmənt/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Reduction from a better to a worse state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: decline, deterioration, worsening

Antonyms: amelioration, betterment, improvement

2

noun

Meaning 2

Attempt to make something better while ending up worse than before.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, informal, rare, uncountable

Qualifier: influenced by the German noun Verschlimmbesserung

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From dis- + improvement.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: malpliboniĝo — reduction from a better to a worse state — see also deterioration
  • Esperanto: malplibonigo — reduction from a better to a worse state — see also deterioration
  • German: Verschlimmbesserung — reduction from a better to a worse state — see also deterioration
  • Swedish: försämring — reduction from a better to a worse state — see also deterioration