betterment

noun

bet·​ter·​ment ˈbe-tər-mənt How to pronounce betterment (audio)
1
: a making or becoming better
2
: an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility

Examples of betterment in a Sentence

working for the betterment of the lives of working people
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An individual movie can’t fix what’s wrong with the world, but filmmakers can and should continue to advocate for the betterment of art and, in turn, the world. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025 Instead, the character goes on impassioned tirades about SpongeBob, leading Hernandez to break character a number of times to the betterment of the bit, which is perhaps aimed at recent blind items by Academy Awards voters who have admitted to neglecting certain movies on negligible criteria. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2025 Xavier is saying there's no space in recreating a society where there's a ruling class, arbitrarily chosen because of their wealth, that gets to lie to people for their own betterment. EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025 Other players have been wowed by his eternal quest for betterment, especially top prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell, who were stunned when the veteran star opted to sit with them at lunch and spend two hours chatting with them on his first day in camp. Gabrielle Starr, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for betterment

Word History

Etymology

better entry 2 + -ment

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of betterment was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Betterment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/betterment. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

betterment

noun
bet·​ter·​ment ˈbet-ər-mənt How to pronounce betterment (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on betterment

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