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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024a•mel•io•rate /əˈmilyəˌreɪt/USA pronunciation v., -rat•ed, -rat•ing. - to make or become better or more satisfactory; improve: [~ + object]Her apology ameliorated the situation.[no object]The situation ameliorated when both sides shook hands.
a•mel•io•ra•tion /əˌmilyəˈreɪʃən/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024a•mel•io•rate (ə mēl′yə rāt′, ə mē′lē ə-),USA pronunciation v.t., v.i., -rat•ed, -rat•ing. - to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve;
meliorate.
a•mel′io•ra•ble, adj. a•mel′io•ra•ble•ness, n. a•mel′io•rant, n. a•mel′io•ra′tive, a•mel•io•ra•to•ry (ə mēl′yər ə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē, ə mē′lē ə-),USA pronunciation adj. a•mel′io•ra′tor, n. amend, better. See improve. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: ameliorate /əˈmiːljəˌreɪt/ vb - to make or become better; improve
Etymology: 18th Century: from meliorate, influenced by French améliorer to improve, from Old French ameillorer to make better, from meillor better, from Latin melioraˈmeliorative adj aˈmelioˌrator n USAGE
Ameliorate is often wrongly used where alleviate is meant. Ameliorate is properly used to mean `improve', not `make easier to bear', so one should talk about alleviating pain or hardship, not ameliorating it |