improve upon

USAGE SUMMARY

'improve upon' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a process or action of making something better. For example, "She set out to improve upon her painting skills."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You cannot improve upon perfection.

The New York Times

"You cannot improve upon it.

The New York Times

Can You Improve Upon Ranch?

The New York Times

"I've been moving well, trying to improve upon that.

The New York Times - Sports

How, in other words, can you improve upon perfection?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That is something I am trying to improve upon.

The New York Times - Sports

After my re-election, Argentines will improve upon these accomplishments.

The New York Times

IT'S tough to improve upon a competently grilled steak.

The New York Times - Food

But he could indeed improve upon his pizzas somewhat.

The New York Times - Food

"When we're healthy, there's nowhere to improve upon," Cashman said.

The New York Times - Sports

I had something to work with, to improve upon.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "improve upon" when you want to emphasize making something already good even better, not when something is fundamentally flawed and needs a complete overhaul.

Common error

Avoid using "improve upon" when a simpler verb like "improve" suffices. For instance, instead of saying "We aim to improve upon our customer service", say "We aim to improve our customer service".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "improve upon" is a verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, particularly when aiming to build on something already established.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

27%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "improve upon" is a versatile verb phrase used to indicate the act of enhancing or refining something that already exists. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically sound and frequently used across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Academia. While "improve upon" is widely accepted, it's important to consider simpler alternatives like "enhance" or "refine" depending on the desired nuance. Overusing "improve upon" can lead to redundancy, so choose the most concise and effective wording for your message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

enhance

Focuses on increasing the quality or value of something.

refine

Implies making subtle improvements to something already good.

build on

Suggests using an existing foundation to create something better.

advance

Indicates moving something forward to a higher level.

develop

Emphasizes growth and progress.

perfect

Aims to achieve flawlessness, going beyond mere improvement.

ameliorate

Focuses on making something bad, better.

upgrade

Suggests replacing something with a newer or better version.

polish

Implies surface-level improvements to enhance appearance.

revamp

Suggests a comprehensive and often radical change.

FAQs

How to use "improve upon" in a sentence?

The phrase "improve upon" is typically used to express the act of enhancing something that already exists. For example, "The team sought to "improve upon" the existing design".

What can I say instead of "improve upon"?

You can use alternatives like "enhance", "refine", or "build on" depending on the specific context.

Is it redundant to say "further improve upon"?

While not strictly incorrect, "further improve upon" can be seen as slightly redundant. It's often better to simply use "improve" or "further improve".

What's the difference between "improve" and "improve upon"?

"Improve" generally means to make something better. "Improve upon" suggests taking something that is already good and making it even better, adding a sense of building on an existing foundation.