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Glite Dictionary
on the improve

on the improve

7.5
Getting better after being worse
  • idiom
  • Archaic
translation icon : en mejora
  • The company's financial situation is on the improve since the recent restructuring.

Examples

  • His health is on the improve after the treatment.

  • After a difficult season, the team's morale is finally on the improve.

  • Thanks to new medication, her symptoms are definitely on the improve.

  • The economy is on the improve this year.

  • After months of training, his skills are finally on the improve as he competes in the tournament.

  • The patient is on the improve and is expected to be discharged from the hospital this week.

  • The team's performance is on the improve, showing significant progress in their last few games.

Synonyms

on the mend
vson the improve
10 3.8

Getting better after illness, injury or hard times

applies more broadly beyond health or injury situations
on the up
vson the improve
  • UK
3 7.5

Getting better and more successful

refers to general improvement not only success or popularity
improving
vson the improve
1.4

Becoming better over time

emphasizes signs of getting better after an earlier lower state

Antonyms

stagnant
46 4.8

Not moving or changing and showing little activity

How Well

recovered
3.1
on the improve
  • Archaic
7.5
stable
473 2.3
serious
∞ 2.0
critical
917 4.0

Surface Forms

on the improve main
on-the-improve main

Morphology

on + the + improve

The meaning is directly related to the verb 'improve' (to get better), so a learner who knows that word could infer the phrase means 'getting better.' However, the construction uses 'the improve' in an atypical, colloquial/nominalised way (compare standard 'on the mend' or 'improving'), so the form is nonstandard and may not be immediately predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase on the improve may come from a simple picture of someone standing on a slope that goes up, so improve means moving upwards. So if someone is on the improve, they are 'getting better'.