as in special
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in more
to a greater or higher extent
he knows property law better than anyone else
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in advantage
the more favorable condition or position in a competition
she got the better of her opponents very early in the race
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to exceed
to be greater, better, or stronger than
this year's profits should better last year's by a wide margin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to improve
to make better
social workers and reformers trying to better the lives of inner-city residents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of better
Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023
Despite his better instincts, a 20-year-old man went to a Gary apartment complex on Nov. 2, 2017 to sell 1.5 ounces of marijuana to his co-worker.
—Meredith Colias-Pete and Rebecca Jacobs, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2023
Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023
Last year, the office held listening sessions in Grove Hall, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain to better understand the needs of women and gender-expansive individuals.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023
Megan Poinski, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Medill’s attempt to clean up the joint and persuade Chicago’s working class to obey its betters would soon go awry.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
Goldman said the cruise line has bettered its business and is deserving of a higher price-to-earnings multiple.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for better 
Adjective
But Democrats and other critics said the state could use the $10 million for better purposes and questioned how it would be determined that migrants voluntarily agreed to be transported.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023
Despite his better instincts, a 20-year-old man went to a Gary apartment complex on Nov. 2, 2017 to sell 1.5 ounces of marijuana to his co-worker.
—Meredith Colias-Pete and Rebecca Jacobs, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2023
Adverb
In related news, Emma Foehringer Merchant wrote a fascinating story for Undark about researchers creating a repository of birds and bats killed at solar and wind farms, to better understand why they’re getting killed and how to prevent it.
—Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023
Last year, the office held listening sessions in Grove Hall, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain to better understand the needs of women and gender-expansive individuals.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023
Noun
This represents a 35% increase in individual betters, and they were expected to wager a total of $23.1 billion, a monetary increase of 44% above last year.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Medill’s attempt to clean up the joint and persuade Chicago’s working class to obey its betters would soon go awry.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
Verb
That small accomplishment alone, which isn’t actually so small, always serves to better my headspace when too busy with other things to fully deep-clean every surface, bathroom, and cluttered cabinet.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
Goldman said the cruise line has bettered its business and is deserving of a higher price-to-earnings multiple.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adjective
-
Kate Middleton is recording her own special Christmas message.Simon Perry, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024
-
Bill Murray memorably sang it in his 2015 Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas.Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
His views exemplified those who believed the United States had more pressing needs for its money than chasing the stars.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
-
In another episode from last season, Rosita, Elmo, and Gabrielle are excited to practice basketball with a new coach and some more experienced players.Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Details of that process were previously reported by +972, an Israeli-Palestinian news website; the Israeli military has denied that was military policy and said that any analyst who relied solely on Lavender would have been overruled by superiors.Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
-
What To Know Moore, a Democrat, was recommended for the Bronze Star by his superiors during his deployment, including Lieutenant General Michael Fenzel.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
While its scent is a perk, the real advantages come from a blend of Ayurvedic ingredients that fortify the hair and give it a glossy gleam.Jenny Berg, Allure, 1 Jan. 2025
-
This timeline may provide an advantage to companies that have not yet adapted their processes to meet e-invoicing requirements.Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
That number has never before exceeded 40% in a season.Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 28 Dec. 2024
-
The team, who went 10-2 this season and 7-2 in conference play, seemingly exceeded expectations in its second season in the Big 12.Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Both books were received poorly by critics at the time, and their reputation hasn’t improved with age.Christopher Tayler, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
-
Over time, this information can be aggregated to refine communication strategies, improving overall service quality and customer satisfaction.Nick Newsom, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
When Pertinax abandoned a career as a teacher and joined the army, frontier wars had hollowed out the ranks, allowing his exceptional talent to catch his superiors’ attention.Jeffrey E. Schulman / Made by History, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Also, share your vision with your team so your customer experiences exceptional service — not just from a few, but from all.Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In contrast, Venus-like planets on the inner edge of extrasolar habitable zones are thought to have what is known as stagnant lid geophysics in which there is no systematic carbon recycling of the planet’s atmosphere.Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
-
Outlook: The Gators’ depth on the edge dwindles with the exits of Pyburn and Searcy.Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near better
Cite this Entry
“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share