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.

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Example Sentences

The price of oil remains elevated, despite peace talk reports, which suggests that issues around the control of the Strait of Hormuz remain murky at best.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The idea of artificial intelligence, let alone a personal computer, was a fantasy at best.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

Several of the chapters, about particle accelerators and fusion reactors, take readers on cursory tours of facilities that have at best a tangential connection to space.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

The message of history was unmistakable: The stock market over the next decade would struggle at best and be in the red for many years.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

But for residents of Pyongyang, electricity is intermittent at best, hot water is rarely available, and travel outside the country is difficult except for diplomats and state-sponsored businessmen.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• at least
• partially
• slightly
• somewhat