better
1 Americanadjective
-
of superior quality or excellence.
a better coat; a better speech.
-
morally superior; more virtuous.
They are no better than thieves.
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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
-
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)
-
betters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bettered,
past participle, past
-
bettering
present participle
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.
idioms
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better off,
-
in better circumstances.
-
more fortunate; happier.
Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.
-
-
go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to.
The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.
-
get / have the better of,
-
to get an advantage over.
-
to prevail against.
-
-
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.
-
had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to.
We had better stay indoors today.
-
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.
-
-
no better than one should be, morally inferior; immoral or amoral.
Don't speak to him; he's no better than he should be!
noun
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
-
in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
-
a large part of
the 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; more
she is better loved than her sister
-
(Brit intr; US tr) to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)
-
would be wise, sensible, etc to
I had better be off
-
not to be so stupid as to
-
-
to change one's course of action after reconsideration
-
to rate (a person) more highly
-
noun
-
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
-
improved as a result of
-
more suitable to
-
whatever the subsequent events or changes may be
-
by way of improvement
a change for the better
-
to defeat, outwit, or surpass
-
having recovered from
I'm not the better of it yet
verb
-
to make or become better
-
(tr) to improve upon; surpass
noun
Usage
What is a basic definition of better? Better is an adjective that describes something as being superior or is an adverb that means something is done to a higher degree or more completely. As a verb, better means to improve. The word better has more specific senses as an adjective, adverb, and a verb. As an adjective, the word better is a comparative of the word good, with the superlative being best. This means that if something is better, it is “more good” than something else but might be “less good” than something that is best. For example, in the Olympic Games a bronze medal is good, a silver medal is better, and a gold medal is the best you can get. Because better is a comparative, you must be comparing two things or conditions when using it.
- Real-life examples: An A is a better grade than a B on a test. Most people would agree that a spoonful of cinnamon has a better taste than a spoonful of cough medicine. A racer who finishes first is a better driver than all of the other racers.
- Used in a sentence: I think a puppy is a better pet for a kid than a snake.
- Used in a sentence: I was throwing up all morning, but I am better now.
- Real-life examples: A chess master will play chess better than someone who has never played at all. Some students learn better than others. You read articles like this one to learn how to use words better.
- Used in a sentence: He can draw well, but I know that I can draw better (than he can).
- Used in a sentence: Laurel took the time to better herself as a business owner.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bettersimple
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betterssimple
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have betteredperfect
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has betteredperfect
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am betteringprogressive
-
are betteringprogressive
-
is betteringprogressive
-
have been betteringperfect progressive
-
has been betteringperfect progressive
Past
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betteredsimple
-
had betteredperfect
-
was betteringprogressive
-
were betteringprogressive
-
had been betteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of better1
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 boot 2 ) + -iza comparative suffix; see best
Origin of better2
Explanation
Something better is improved — like when a more advanced computer comes out, or you feel better after a cold. When we talk about things being better, we're comparing in a favorable way. A great movie is better than a good or awful movie. With practice, you will get better at a sport or a subject like math. Doctors help patients feel better, and mechanics make a car run better. If 51% or more of the people voted for you, then you had the support of better than half the people. When things are getting better, they're improving.
Vocabulary lists containing better
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But they’re also a delicacy that Mr. Ecott learns to enjoy: “It wasn’t possible to imagine a better way to spend an evening in good company than eating sheep’s heads and singing.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd Darren Millar said the decision was "long overdue but it is better late than never".
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
“For now, these are better viewed as examples of companies going beyond the usual severance arrangements,” he added.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
More than 400,000 workers from sectors ranging from car-making to mechanical engineering joined strikes and rallies across Germany this week calling for better pay and conditions, their union said Friday.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
Maybe she could get a Pepsi, or better yet, some iced tea.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
That’s a sign that betters don’t see the feud with the U.S. as slowing an IPO.
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
His betters resented Duchamp’s attempt at depicting movement and judged the title vulgar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
This week: Polymarket teamed up with the Golden Globes, displaying a live ticker for betters on the broadcast.
From Slate ● Jan. 17, 2026
In addition, the FBI said Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach for the Lakers, shared inside information about the health of LeBron James with betters back in 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025
"Small boys should learn that it is a big mistake to try playing tricks on their betters to gain attention."
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
He took 50 wickets in the County Championship in 2026, a tally bettered by only six other bowlers in Division Two.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Brighton managed 10 clean sheets last season, bettered by only six teams.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
That performance, bettered only by leading pair Adrianna Sulek-Schubert of Poland and Ireland's Kate O'Connor, followed a time of 14 seconds flat in the 100m hurdles which ranked 15th overall.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Among NL pitchers with at least 70 innings, his ERA is bettered only by Misiorowski.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
She was supposed to want to meet men, to keep her eyes open; she was supposed to see The General as an option that could be bettered.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
She said Chinese biotechs have “gotten very good with pretty-well-known targets—in bettering them, in really getting more precise.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Well, then you know how truly committed they were to bettering L.A. in the first place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2025
Since 1 February, Forest have conceded 46 goals in the Premier League, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool bettering them.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2025
United have shut out their opponents on five occasions this term, with only Liverpool bettering them with six.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2024
“We were expanding beyond ourselves, beyond our own planet, pushing back frontiers, bettering ourselves.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
