better than

Idioms  

1. Superior to, as in He's no better than Tom at writing a memo . [9th century]

2. More than, larger in amount or greater in rate, as in My new car can do better than 100 miles an hour , or The new plan will cut better than 15 percent of costs . Some authorities consider this usage colloquial and advise that it be avoided in formal writing. [Late 1500s] Also see better half , def. 1.

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Example Sentences

Whether that’s any better than the existing Iranian closure of the waterway remains to be seen.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

No company captures the dynamic better than Merck MRK -1.03%decrease; red down pointing triangle .

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

I often wrestled with it as a young adult, if the past had actually been better than the present day.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi says he is "not better" than predecessors Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor as he prepares to take charge of his first game at the Premier League strugglers.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

And it was much better than being on a boat in a storm, and much, much better than being on a boat in a storm when you don’t know the storm is coming.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr