better 1 of 4

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
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 Buschatzke and others argue that a better and more equitable approach would be to start accounting for evaporation and other water losses from the reservoirs and along the river in the Lower Basin. Los Angeles Times, 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 the dance of love there are no betters — there is only the pursuit of radical equality. Jimi Calhoun, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Apr. 2024 Conversely, credit card delinquencies declined for sports betters, a trend that showed up a couple years after legalization and surprised Hollenbeck. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 26 July 2024
Verb
The parties agreed to work toward ending the war and bettering bilateral relations. Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2025 In later generations, characters penned by Jewish authors continued to grapple with issues of outsider status, hiding aspects of their identity, and maintaining their determination to better the world in spite of rejection from it. Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adjective
  • Lawmakers can call themselves back to the Capitol in Boise for special sessions with a petition signed by at least 60% of the House and Senate.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Typically, a Seder plate is made up for the special gathering and contains six parts that symbolize Exodus.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Champ Celebration: The Royals will welcome back notable alumni for championship gala Here are more notable aspects of Thursday’s game: Michael Massey records three hits The Royals need productive at-bats.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Different systems operate at different volumes and speeds, and some require more active maintenance, like turning.
    Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The contract also maintains its unusual provision allowing Sanders to disclose any athletically related outside income to his superiors verbally, thus enabling him to follow NCAA bylaws while ensuring that no public paper trail is created for these earnings.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Your career trajectory could change after seeking advice from one of your superiors.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Stars finished with a 50-26-6 record, edging out Colorado for second in the division and home ice advantage in this series.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Even as Liverpool have spluttered and stuttered, Mikel Arteta’s side have doggedly refused to take advantage, declining to ignite the thing as a contest.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Listen to this article The usual sales pitch for working from home has been that the job can get done just as effectively outside the office, boosting morale and allowing employees to manage other commitments while meeting and even exceeding their professional responsibilities.
    Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Track limits have long been a hot topic in Formula One, particularly after the 2023 Austrian GP, where more than 1,200 instances of a driver possibly exceeding track limits were reviewed.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If each of us could do one small good deed daily, the world would be improved.
    Maria Zimina, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Sporting improved to 2-6-1 in MLS regular-season play, winning its second match of 2025.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This compact security camera offers exceptional value and robust features in a tiny design.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this exceptional community.
    Prime Development, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Six female celebs — including pop songstress Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King and Jeff Bezos’s fiancée, author Lauren Sánchez — are slated to blast off Monday morning in a Blue Origin rocket headed for the edge of space.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The Karman Line, located 62 miles above Earth, demarcates the edge of space.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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