at best

Idioms  

1. Under the most favorable circumstances, as in At best we'll be just one week behind schedule, or Cleaning out the attic is a tedious job at best. This idiom, formerly also put as at the best, today is most often used in situations that are actually far from ideal, as in the examples above. [First half of 1300s] For an antonym, see at worst.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at best

The available data says the organizational response is at best a huge exaggeration of the rank and file’s view.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

“The track record of memecoins has been rocky at best, and it was not clear that this issue had either the backer or the timing to buck that trend.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

Remembering that lesson will surely help bereaved families through a process that many find bewildering at best; incomprehensible at worst.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

The economy will likely at best only expand marginally in the quarter, it noted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Chances for survival were slim at best if they all stayed together.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Related Words

• at least
• partially
• slightly
• somewhat