Standard Lemma guide

meliorate

verb · 4 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

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  • /ˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make better; to improve; to solve a problem.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • They offered some compromises in an effort to meliorate the disagreement.
  • June 8, 1783, George Washington, Circular to the States [...] and the pure and benign light of revelation have had a meliorating influence on mankind.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ameliorate, refine, resolve, work out, aprimorate (non-native speakers’ English (chiefly Portuguese)), amend, batten, better, enhance, hone, improve, meliorate, get better, look up, absolve, decipher, get to the bottom of, iron out, puzzle out, ravel, reason out, riddle, sleuth, solve, tease out, think out, unpuzzle, unravel, unriddle, unsolve, upsolve, Any from Thesaurus:untangle

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become better.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: age like a fine wine, amend, heal, improve

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

get better

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The weather improved toward evening

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: better, improve, ameliorate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change state, turn

Narrower terms: recuperate, recover, convalesce, heal, reform, straighten out, see the light, surge, turn around, pick up, get well, get over, bounce back, mend, fructify, upgrade

4

verb

Meaning 4

to make better

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The editor improved the manuscript with his changes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: better, improve, amend, ameliorate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: relieve, alleviate, palliate, assuage, help, aid, regenerate, revitalize, enrich, build up, develop, turn around, upgrade, condition, emend, iron out, straighten out, put right, enhance, repair, mend, fix, bushel, doctor, furbish up, restore, touch on, reform, fancify, beautify, embellish, prettify, build, perfect, hone, polish, refine, fine-tune, down, purify, sublimate, make pure, distill, fructify, raise, lift, advance, educate

History

Etymology

First attested in 1542; borrowed from Late Latin meliorātus, perfect passive participle of meliorō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from melior (“better”).