To ameliorate something means to make it better or less bad, especially when you're improving a difficult or unpleasant situation. The word suggests gradual improvement rather than a complete fix.

A principal might implement new rules to ameliorate the crowding in hallways between classes. Doctors work to ameliorate a patient's pain, even when they can't cure the underlying illness. After a fight with your friend, an apology can ameliorate the hurt feelings, though it might take time before things feel completely normal again.

You ameliorate problems, conditions, or situations that need help. It's more formal than simply saying “improve” or “fix,” and it often appears in discussions about serious issues: how to ameliorate poverty, pollution, or inequality.

Notice that ameliorate doesn't promise perfection: you're helping, but not necessarily fixing something completely.