enhancement
gb/ɪnhˈænsmənt/ us/ɪnhˈænsmənt/
B2
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
B2
action
1
the act or result of improvement
The process of making something better or more useful.
Usage pattern:
the enhancement of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse the patterns "enhancement of" and "improvement in" and may say *"enhancement in quality"* instead of the more natural "enhancement of quality" or simply "quality improvement". Another common mistake is using "enhancement" where the simpler word "improvement" is more natural in casual speech.
Synonyms
improvement (Most general and common word; slightly less formal than "enhancement".)
|
upgrade (Suggests moving to a higher level or version, especially for products or services.)
Antonyms
deterioration (Focuses on something becoming worse in quality, the opposite direction of enhancement.)
Collocations
performance enhancement
|quality enhancement
|value enhancement
|product enhancement
|career enhancement
|policy enhancement
Themes
business
|technology
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The software update includes a major enhancement to the search function.
- The company invested in the enhancement of customer service across all branches.
- This policy is aimed at the enhancement of working conditions for part-time staff.
- The new lighting system is a simple enhancement that makes the space feel more welcoming.
- There has been a significant enhancement in the quality of online courses over the past few years.
Learner examples
- The school made an enhancement to its library.
- The new rule is an enhancement of our safety plan.
- We saw an enhancement in sales after the ad campaign.
- This change is a small enhancement, but it helps.
- The enhancement of the website made it easier to use.
Noun
B2
action
2
improvement of physical appearance
The process of changing the body or face to look more attractive, often with beauty treatments or surgery.
Usage pattern:
a cosmetic enhancement to [a body part]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "enhancement" alone when native speakers prefer to specify the type, for example saying *"She had an enhancement"* instead of the more natural "She had a cosmetic enhancement" or naming the body part ("breast enhancement").
Synonyms
cosmetic improvement (Very close in meaning; slightly more general and descriptive.)
|
augmentation (More technical; often used for surgical procedures that increase size, especially breasts.)
Antonyms
disfigurement (Emphasizes damage or change that makes appearance less attractive, the opposite of enhancement.)
Collocations
cosmetic enhancement
|breast enhancement
|lip enhancement
|facial enhancement
|appearance enhancement
|aesthetic enhancement
Themes
health
|appearance
|media
|daily_life
Examples
- She is considering a minor cosmetic enhancement to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
- The clinic specializes in non-surgical facial enhancement treatments.
- The ad promised dramatic lash enhancement in just two weeks.
- Breast enhancement has become a common topic in lifestyle magazines.
- Many people now choose subtle enhancements rather than dramatic changes to their appearance.
Learner examples
- She had a cosmetic enhancement on her nose.
- The cream is for skin enhancement around the eyes.
- He is against surgical enhancement of the body.
- They offer lip enhancement at the beauty clinic.
- The ad talks about hair enhancement for thin hair.
Noun
technical
C1
action
3
increasing clarity of signals or images
The process of using technology to make a picture, sound, or signal clearer or stronger.
Usage pattern:
image enhancement of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this technical sense with general improvement and may not realize that in scientific and technical texts, "enhancement" often refers specifically to measurable changes in signal or image quality.
Synonyms
amplification (Focuses on increasing strength, especially of signals or sounds, not always on clarity.)
|
optimization (Broader technical term for making something work as well as possible; not limited to clarity or strength.)
Antonyms
degradation (Technical term for loss of quality or clarity in a signal or image, opposite of enhancement.)
Collocations
image enhancement
|signal enhancement
|contrast enhancement
|audio enhancement
|digital enhancement
|MRI enhancement
Themes
technology
|science
|medicine
Examples
- The software uses advanced image enhancement to reveal details in low-light photos.
- Contrast enhancement made the tumor clearly visible on the MRI scan.
- Audio enhancement tools were applied to clean up the old recording.
- The lab performed signal enhancement to detect very weak radio waves.
- Digital enhancement has raised questions about the authenticity of the video.
Learner examples
- Image enhancement helped make the photo clear.
- The doctor used contrast enhancement to see the problem on the scan.
- Audio enhancement removed the noise from the file.
- Digital enhancement made the old movie look better.
- We used software enhancement to improve the picture.
Grammar
Dictionary form
enhancement
IPA
GB/ɪnhˈænsmənt/
US/ɪnhˈænsmənt/
Syllables & stress
en - hance - ment (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (hance)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: enhancement
- Plural: enhancement, enhancements
Word family
Forms
enhancements
noun
Core family
enhance
verb B2
enhanced
adjective
Related words
enhancer
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unenhanced
adjective
Expressions
breast enhancement
1/bɹˈɛst ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
procedure to increase or shape breasts
A cosmetic medical treatment, usually surgery, to make the breasts bigger or change their shape.
Examples
- She decided against breast enhancement after talking with her doctor.
- The clinic offers several options for non-surgical breast enhancement.
- Breast enhancement has become more socially accepted in many countries.
cosmetic enhancement
1/kɑzmˈɛtɪk ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
beauty treatment to improve appearance
A beauty or medical treatment that changes how someone looks, not for health but to look more attractive.
Examples
- She insisted that her surgery was a minor cosmetic enhancement, not a full makeover.
- The clinic specializes in non-invasive cosmetic enhancement procedures.
- Many people now choose cosmetic enhancement to look younger on camera.
feature enhancement
1/fˈit͡ʃɚ ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
improving specific product features
A change that makes one part or function of a product or service better or adds something new to it.
Examples
- The next update is mainly a feature enhancement for the search tool.
- Customers can submit feature enhancement requests through the app.
- This feature enhancement makes the reporting process much simpler.
image enhancement
1/ˈɪmɪd͡ʒ ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
improving the quality of images
Using technology to make a picture or video clearer, sharper, or easier to see.
Examples
- The app uses AI-based image enhancement to sharpen blurry photos.
- Image enhancement revealed hidden details on the satellite pictures.
- Forensic experts applied image enhancement to read the license plate.
performance enhancement
1/pɚfˈɔɹməns ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
improving how well something performs
Changes or actions that help a person, machine, or system do its job better or faster.
Examples
- The coach was fired after players tested positive for illegal performance enhancement.
- The company offers training programs focused on employee performance enhancement.
- New hardware has led to major performance enhancement for the database servers.
security enhancement
1/sɪkjˈʊɹɪti ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
improving safety or protection measures
A new rule, tool, or change that makes a place, computer system, or service safer from danger or attack.
Examples
- The latest software release includes several important security enhancements.
- After the incident, the airport announced major security enhancements.
- Security enhancements to the network will be rolled out over the next month.
software enhancement
1/sˈɔftwˌɛɹ ɪnhˈænsmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
update that improves software features
A change to a computer program that adds new features or makes existing features better, without fully replacing the program.
Examples
- The next release will focus on bug fixes rather than software enhancements.
- Users can request software enhancements through the support portal.
- This software enhancement improves reporting and data export options.