better

[ bet-er ]

/ ˈbɛt ər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: better / bettered / bettering on Thesaurus.com

adjective, comparative of good, with best as superlative.

of superior quality or excellence: a better coat; a better speech.

morally superior; more virtuous: They are no better than thieves.

of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable: a better time for action.

larger; greater: the better part of a lifetime.

improved in health; healthier than before.

completely recovered in health.

adverb, comparative of well, with best as superlative.

in a more appropriate or acceptable way or manner: to behave better.

to a greater degree; more completely or thoroughly: He knows the way better than we do. I probably know him better than anyone else.

more: I walked better than a mile to town.

verb (used with object)

to increase the good qualities of; make better; improve: to better one's grades;to better the lot of the suburban commuter.

to improve upon; surpass; exceed: We have bettered last year's production record.

Cards. to raise (a previous bid).

noun

that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser: the better of two choices.

Usually betters . those superior to one in wisdom, wealth, etc.

OTHER WORDS FOR better

10 amend; advance, promote; reform, correct, rectify.

See synonyms for better on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about better

better off,

in better circumstances.
more fortunate; happier: Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.

better oneself, to improve one's social standing, financial position, or education: He is going to night school because he wants to better himself.

for the better, in a way that is an improvement: His health changed for the better.

get / have the better of,

to get an advantage over.
to prevail against.

go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to: The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.

had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to: We had better stay indoors today.

no better than one should be, morally inferior; immoral or amoral: Don't speak to him; he's no better than he should be!

think better of,

to reconsider and decide more favorably or wisely regarding: I was tempted to make a sarcastic retort, but thought better of it.
to form a higher opinion of: I think better of him now that he's gone back to college.

Origin of better

First recorded before 900; Middle English bettre, Old English bet(te)ra; cognate with Old High German bezziro (German besser ), Dutch beter, Old Norse betr, Gothic batiza, equivalent to bat- (cognate with Old High German baz (adverb) “better”; akin to boot²) + -iza comparative suffix; see best

OTHER WORDS FROM better

un·bet·tered, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH better

better , bettor

Other definitions for better (2 of 2)

better²

[ bet-er ]

/ ˈbɛt ər /

noun

a variant of bettor.

Origin of better

bet¹ + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use better in a sentence

They’re also going to have to do a much better job of making the case for why they exist so their donors, even in a tight financial time, feel the need to continue to support the work that they do.
Plight at the Museum|Jen Trolio|November 20, 2020|Vox
VOSD contributor Jared Whitlock requested death certificates in April to see where the virus was moving and to better understand how the county was managing the public health crisis.
Morning Report: County Digs in to Keep COVID Data Private|Voice of San Diego|November 19, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Ironically, with covid-19, there’s probably never been a better opportunity to find someone outside the organization who would gladly take your boss’s place.
It’s hard to get rid of a bad boss. Instead, try a ‘soft coup.’|Karla Miller|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Those records could be used to track the virus, compare the accuracy of reported data and better understand how the county was managing the public health crisis.
County Officials Dig in to Keep COVID-19 Info Private|Sara Libby and Jared Whitlock|November 19, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Peale and his family moved their own home to the basement of the museum, so as to better manage the ever-growing enterprise.
When Science Was the Best Show in America - Issue 93: Forerunners|Lee Alan Dugatkin|November 18, 2020|Nautilus
If they believe change has bettered their lives, 2016 could be another good day for Republicans.
Voters Remind D.C. That the Economy Still Sucks|Stuart Stevens|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In this case, the embarrassing stumble may have bettered her score.
Carrie Ann Inaba, Justin Bieber & More Celebrity Stumbles (VIDEO)|The Daily Beast Video|October 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He regarded it simply as a civil war, by which 'the condition of no nation,' as he wrote later, 'was ever bettered.'
Sir Walter Ralegh|William Stebbing
At first my change in bodily build and bettered health rendered me hardly recognisable to my friends.
Tramping on Life|Harry Kemp
Not a night but some brown maiden Bettered all the dusk she strayed in, While the roses in her hair Bankrupted oblivion there.
Songs from Vagabondia|Bliss Carman and Richard Hovey
May all men's lot be bettered, all women's sorrow lessened, to whom this tale of woes shall be recounted.
The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson|Saemund Sigfusson and Snorre Sturleson
Hodge dropped his nines, which he had not bettered, and that left Merriwell and Snell to fight it out.
Frank Merriwell's Chums|Burt L. Standish

British Dictionary definitions for better (1 of 2)

better¹

/ (ˈbɛtə) /

adjective

the comparative of good

more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc

more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc

improved in health

fully recovered in health

in more favourable circumstances, esp financially

better off in more favourable circumstances, esp financially

the better part of a large part ofthe better part of a day

adverb

the comparative of well 1

in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc

in or to a greater degree or extent; moreshe is better loved than her sister

go one better (Brit intr; US tr) to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)

had better would be wise, sensible, etc toI had better be off

know better than to not to be so stupid as to

think better of

to change one's course of action after reconsideration
to rate (a person) more highly

noun

the better something that is the more excellent, useful, etc, of two such things

(usually plural) a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability

all the better for improved as a result of

all the better to more suitable to

for better for worse whatever the subsequent events or changes may be

for the better by way of improvementa change for the better

get the better of to defeat, outwit, or surpass

the better of Irish having recovered fromI'm not the better of it yet

verb

to make or become better

(tr) to improve upon; surpass

Word Origin for better

Old English betera; related to Old Norse betri, Gothic batiza, Old High German beziro

British Dictionary definitions for better (2 of 2)

better²

esp US bettor

/ (ˈbɛtə) /

noun

a person who bets

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with better

better

In addition to the idioms beginning with better

better half
better late than never
better off
better part of
better safe than sorry
better than

also see:

against one's better judgment
all better
all the better
discretion is the better part of valor
for better or for worse
get better
get the better (best) of
go one better
had better (best)
know better
seen better days
so much the better
sooner the better
take a turn for the better
think better of
you'd better believe it

Also see underbest.

better

OTHER WORDS FOR better

Idioms about better

Origin of better

OTHER WORDS FROM better

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH better

Other definitions for better (2 of 2)

Origin of better

Words related to better

How to use better in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for better (1 of 2)

Word Origin for better

British Dictionary definitions for better (2 of 2)

esp US bettor

Other Idioms and Phrases with better