a·mel·io·rate

[uh-meel-yuh-reyt, uh-mee-lee-uh-]
verb (used with object), verb (used without object), a·mel·io·rat·ed, a·mel·io·rat·ing.
to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve; meliorate.
Origin:
1760–70; a-5 + meliorate

Related forms
a·mel·io·ra·ble, adjective
a·mel·io·ra·ble·ness, noun
a·mel·io·rant, noun
a·mel·io·ra·tive, a·mel·io·ra·to·ry [uh-meel-yer-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, uh-mee-lee-uh-] , adjective
a·mel·io·ra·tor, noun
un·a·mel·io·ra·ble, adjective
un·a·mel·io·rat·ed, adjective
un·a·mel·io·ra·tive, adjective

Can be confused: ameliorate, obviate, vitiate.

Synonyms
amend, better. See improve.

Antonyms
worsen.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
ameliorate (əˈmiːljəˌreɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—vb
to make or become better; improve
 
[C18: from meliorate, influenced by French améliorer to improve, from Old French ameillorer to make better, from meillor better, from Latin melior]
 
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
 
ameliorable
 
—adj
 
a'meliorant
 
—n
 
a'meliorative
 
—adj
 
a'meliorator
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

ameliorate
1767 (implied in ameliorating); see amelioration. The simpler form meliorate was used in M.E. Ameliorative is attested from 1809.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
To ameliorate the hazard, some turbines are painted black to absorb sunlight
  and melt the ice faster.
I'm very glad to see someone working to help ameliorate that situation.
Sometimes there's nothing you can do to ameliorate a bad experience.
They did not record using an incline in this study, but using one might
  ameliorate the issues you raise.
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