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

He won at Torrey Pines in February and prepared assiduously for the Masters in an attempt to go one better than his 2025 play-off defeat by Rory McIlroy.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

“The whole dance element made it even better than just hanging out with characters,” says Tzagournis.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

"As a solution to cancer, cancer prevention is clearly much better than cancer treatment, so we hope we can spot dangerous chemicals before people are exposed, and therefore prevent extensive cancer risk."

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2026

For now, though, some roles are holding up better than others.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

“It’s better than all their boats, isn’t it?”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam