better 1 of 4

Definition of betternext

better

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adverb

as in more
to a greater or higher extent he knows property law better than anyone else

Synonyms & Similar Words

better

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noun

better

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word better distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of better are ameliorate, help, and improve. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care
immigrants hoping to better their lot

When might ameliorate be a better fit than better?

The synonyms ameliorate and better are sometimes interchangeable, but ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

When can help be used instead of better?

The words help and better can be used in similar contexts, but help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

Example 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
Adjective
On Tuesday Biden touted increases in Border Patrol staffing and also increased fentanyl seizures at the border, which officials have said shows that apprehension is getting better. Adam Shaw, Fox News, 8 Feb. 2023 The White House, ahead of the speech, paired police reform with bringing down violence, suggesting that giving police better training tools could lead to less crime nationwide. Zeke Miller and, BostonGlobe.com, 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
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. Lz Granderson, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 The two companies are teaming up to enhance the viewing experience for NBA betters. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Rare is the Broadway season that hasn’t been bettered by an August Wilson revival, and this very busy spring is no exception. Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026 Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, bettering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds. Ap, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adjective
  • The next domino might be Alabama, where Governor Kay Ivey has called a special legislative session to redraw the state's maps less than three weeks before its primaries.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
  • Beyond Alabama and Tennessee, legislators in Mississippi are planning to hold a special session to redraw the state's Supreme Court districts.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 2 May 2026
Adverb
  • Celebrities don their Met Gala finest and exit through a throng of onlookers into a car (or, more often, a sprinter van) to the museum.
    Anika Reed, USA Today, 5 May 2026
  • Hantavirus is more common in Asia and Europe, where the strains that circulate are less deadly, with a case fatality rate that ranges from less than 1% to 15%.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
Noun
  • Brown’s team submitted an affidavit to superiors at the DOJ that did not make a strong enough case to move forward with what Olsen wanted.
    ProPublica, ProPublica, 1 May 2026
  • Lower-ranking officers were able to tell their superiors what wasn’t going well and argue forcefully for changing course.
    Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • The 76ers led by as many as 15 in the quarter and carried a 32-19 advantage into the second quarter.
    Kyle Hightower, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
  • American Heritage-Delray jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the end of the first, had a 12-0 advantage at halftime and a 17-0 lead entering the fourth.
    Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • In March, a federal appeals court ruled Sykes, the judge in California, had likely exceeded her authority in requiring bond hearings nationwide and blocked her February decision.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 May 2026
  • In March, a federal appeals court ruled Sykes, the judge in California, had probably exceeded her authority in requiring bond hearings nationwide and blocked her February decision.
    Sudhin Thanawala, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Columbia recruit improves career-record total to 791 strikeouts.
    Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
  • Often, Bell wrote, desegregation turned out not to be the fastest or surest method to improve these children’s school experience.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Adjective
  • Yet, Bruccoleri is absolutely exceptional in her role as a young woman determined to find her voice in a world that would so easily push her aside due to her appearance and eclectic curiosities.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 May 2026
  • Noël Coward’s writing for drunk is exceptional.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • The outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship moored off the western coast of Africa is gripping a world primed by recent painful experience to be on edge for the next Covid-19-like event.
    Helen Branswell, STAT, 7 May 2026
  • But there’s a significant difference in setting the edge on the college level and doing it in the NFL, where the offensive tackles and tight ends are usually bigger and stronger.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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