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ameliorate, verb

BrE /əˈmiːliəreɪt/ ;
NAmE /əˈmiːliəreɪt/

- to make something better
E.g.
- Steps have been taken to ameliorate the situation.
- The new laws were designed to ameliorate the problem of chronic debt.

WORD ORIGIN:

mid 18th cent.: alteration of meliorate (of the same meaning), influenced by French améliorer, from meilleur ‘better’.