SuaviloquyToday’s word

ameliorate

Ameliorate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ameliorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Ameliorating.]

Etymology: [L. ad + meliorare to make better: cf. F. améliorer. See Meliorate.]

To make better; to improve; to meliorate. In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his own condition. Macaulay.

1 other Webster entry under this spelling

Ameliorate, v. i.

To grow better; to meliorate; as, wine ameliorates by age.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for ameliorate; he lists it under amend.

Where he writes about it:

We correct evils, reform abuses, rectify incidental conditions of evil or error; we ameliorate poverty and misery, which we can not wholly remove. — from amend

Synonyms

amendadvancebettercleansecorrectemendimprovemake bettermelioratemendmitigatepurifyrectifyreformrepair

Antonyms

aggravateblemishcorruptdebasedepressdeteriorateharmimpairinjuremarspoiltarnishvitiate

etymologyWebster’s online