# continuous improvement

CEFR B2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/continuous-improvement
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

the habit of always looking for small ways to make a process, product, or service better. Instead of making one big change, you make many tiny improvements over time.

For teachers: an ongoing effort to enhance products, services, or processes through incremental and breakthrough improvements. Often associated with management philosophies like Kaizen, where every member of an organisation contributes to efficiency.

## Examples

- Our team uses continuous improvement to fix small bugs every week.
- By adopting a culture of continuous improvement, the factory reduced waste by twenty percent over two years without major equipment upgrades.
- The methodology of continuous improvement requires a robust feedback loop where data from the production line informs immediate, iterative adjustments to the manufacturing protocol.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in business and manufacturing contexts; often functions as a compound noun.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.