had better

Idioms  

1. Also, had best. Ought to, should. For example, You had better finish this one before starting another, or We had best be going. [Mid-1400s] Also see you'd better believe it.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

had better

Only two people had better than average hearing at certain low frequencies.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

Any U.S. action risks escalation, so it had better be with a strategic purpose.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

We had better hope so, or this trend is going to get worse.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

Chip stocks suffered a wobble, and investors had better hope that’s all it is.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

“I had better not stay long, sir; it must be near eleven o’clock. Oh, are you aware, Mr. Rochester, that a stranger has arrived here since you left this morning?”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë