ameliorate
Say it: uh-MEE-lee-uh-rayt /əˈmiljəreɪt/ · verb
What “ameliorate” means
Make a bad situation better.
More precisely: To make something bad or unsatisfactory better.
Example: “Flexible hours helped ameliorate the stress of the long commute.”
When to use it
In formal writing or discussion, when an action improves difficult conditions, even if it does not solve everything.
Memory trick
Latin melior means better. Think of making a bad situation a little better.
Similar words
improve, alleviate, ease
Where it comes from
From Latin melior, "better."
Quick check
A hot, stuffy room becomes more comfortable when you open the windows, though it remains warm. What did that change do?
eliminate or ameliorate?
Show the answer
ameliorate
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