better than

Save This Word!

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

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.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!

In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

Question 1 of 7

The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

affect

effect

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Words nearby better than

betterment, betterment tax, better-off, better part of, Better safe than sorry, better than, Betterton, Betti, Bettina, betting shop, Bettinus

How to use better than in a sentence

We need to recover and grow the idea that the proper answer to bad speech is more and better speech.
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yes, we do typically do better than Europe (and Canada, too, which is frequently awful on this score).
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The cartoonist, better known as Charb, was shot dead Wednesday.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He also wants to “replace every existing organism with a better one.”
Design Your Own Dinosaur: The Era of Custom DNA|Justin Jones|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

For someone with anorexia, self-starvation makes them feel better.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Of course, considerations of weight have to be taken into account, but the more mould round the roots the better.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
"Better so," was the Senora's sole reply; and she fell again into still deeper, more perplexed thought about the hidden treasure.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Arches more graceful in form, or better fitted to defy the assaults of time, I have never seen.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
This is one of the most striking manifestations of the better side of child-nature and deserves a chapter to itself.
Children's Ways|James Sully
For it is better that thy children should ask of thee, than that thou look toward the hands of thy children.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various