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View synonyms for better

better

1

[ bet-er ]

adjective

  1. of superior quality or excellence:

    a better coat; a better speech.

  2. morally superior; more virtuous:

    They are no better than thieves.

  3. of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable:

    a better time for action.

  4. larger; greater:

    the better part of a lifetime.

  5. improved in health; healthier than before.
  6. completely recovered in health.


adverb

  1. in a more appropriate or acceptable way or manner:

    to behave better.

  2. to a greater degree; more completely or thoroughly:

    He knows the way better than we do. I probably know him better than anyone else.

  3. I walked better than a mile to town.

verb (used with object)

  1. to increase the good qualities of; make better; improve:

    to better one's grades;

    to better the lot of the suburban commuter.

    Synonyms: rectify, reform, promote, advance, amend, correct

  2. to improve upon; surpass; exceed:

    We have bettered last year's production record.

  3. Cards. to raise (a previous bid).

noun

  1. that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser:

    the better of two choices.

  2. Usually betters. those superior to one in wisdom, wealth, etc.

better

2

[ bet-er ]

noun

  1. a variant of bettor.

better

1

/ ˈbɛtə /

noun

  1. a person who bets
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

better

2

/ ˈbɛtə /

adjective

  1. the comparative of good
  2. more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc
  3. more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc
  4. improved in health
  5. fully recovered in health
  6. in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
  7. better off
    in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
  8. the better part of
    a large part of

    the better part of a day

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. the comparative of well 1
  2. in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc
  3. in or to a greater degree or extent; more

    she is better loved than her sister

  4. go one better
    Brit intr; US tr to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)
  5. had better
    would be wise, sensible, etc to

    I had better be off

  6. know better than to
    not to be so stupid as to
  7. think better of
    1. to change one's course of action after reconsideration
    2. to rate (a person) more highly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the better
    something that is the more excellent, useful, etc, of two such things
  2. usually plural a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability
  3. all the better for
    improved as a result of
  4. all the better to
    more suitable to
  5. for better for worse
    whatever the subsequent events or changes may be
  6. for the better
    by way of improvement

    a change for the better

  7. get the better of
    to defeat, outwit, or surpass
  8. the better of
    having recovered from

    I'm not the better of it yet

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make or become better
  2. tr to improve upon; surpass
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • un·bettered adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of better1

First recorded before 900; Middle English bettre, Old English bet(te)ra; cognate with Old High German bezziro ( German besser ), Dutch beter, Old Norse betr, Gothic batiza, equivalent to bat- (cognate with Old High German baz (adverb) “better”; akin to boot 2 ) + -iza comparative suffix; best

Origin of better2

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Word History and Origins

Origin of better1

Old English betera ; related to Old Norse betri , Gothic batiza , Old High German beziro
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. better off,
    1. in better circumstances.
    2. more fortunate; happier:

      Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.

  2. better oneself, to improve one's social standing, financial position, or education:

    He is going to night school because he wants to better himself.

  3. for the better, in a way that is an improvement:

    His health changed for the better.

  4. get / have the better of,
    1. to get an advantage over.
    2. to prevail against.
  5. go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to:

    The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.

  6. had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to:

    We had better stay indoors today.

  7. no better than one should be, morally inferior; immoral or amoral:

    Don't speak to him; he's no better than he should be!

  8. think better of,
    1. to reconsider and decide more favorably or wisely regarding:

      I was tempted to make a sarcastic retort, but thought better of it.

    2. to form a higher opinion of:

      I think better of him now that he's gone back to college.

More idioms and phrases containing better

  • against one's better judgment
  • all better
  • all the better
  • discretion is the better part of valor
  • for better or for worse
  • get better
  • get the better (best) of
  • go one better
  • had better (best)
  • know better
  • seen better days
  • so much the better
  • sooner the better
  • take a turn for the better
  • think better of
  • you'd better believe it
  • best
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Example Sentences

The Lakers, still without Austin Reaves because of a lower back bruise, were only mildly better on offense Wednesday than they were on defense.

You’ve got some that are much lower end and others that are much more skilled and with better equipment.

From Slate

This includes reducing infections through better water, sanitation and hygiene, improving vaccine uptake, strengthening hospital infection control policies, educating physicians and deterring self-medication by patients.

From BBC

“This was really about Husan, and the more we got to know him, got to evaluate him, the more we got to see his mental makeup, how team-oriented he was, how serious he was about the game, we just felt like in the end, there wasn’t a better fit for us,” Riley said.

"The playing group are still together and I still have a lot of things that I will try and do to given them a better chance than this evening."

From BBC

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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