embetter

English

Etymology

From em- +‎ better.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪmˈbɛtə(ɹ)/

Verb

embetter (third-person singular simple present embetters, present participle embettering, simple past and past participle embettered)

1. (transitive) To make better; improve.
   • 1605, Samuel Daniel, Certaine small poems lately printed with the tragedie of Philotas:

     For cruelty doth not embetter men,
     But them more wary make than they have been.

   • 2004, George W. Bush:

     But they're allowed to use the money to change hearts and souls, to help save lives, to embetter the world we live in.

   • 2015, Paulos Z. Huang, Yearbook of Chinese Theology 2015, page 11:

     In order to embetter participation in global cultural dialogue, China has promoted dialogue at home, and has greatly adjusted the relationship between religion and Chinese society.

Synonyms

• (to make something better): ameliorate, enhance; See also Thesaurus:improve

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to make something worse”): pejorate, worsen; See also Thesaurus:worsen

Derived terms

• embetterment

See also

• embitter