Better Definition and Meaning
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Published on April 24, 2024
Better means of superior quality or excellence; more desirable, satisfactory, or effective. e.g., The new model is better than the old one in terms of efficiency.
Table of Contents
Better Definitions
To a greater degree; more.
He knows the city better than anyone else.
Further advanced in development or progress.
The project is much better now with the new design.
Greater in excellence or higher in quality
Which of the twins is the better skater?.
More useful, suitable, or desirable
Found a better way to go.
A suit with a better fit than that one.
More highly skilled or adept
I am better at math than English.
Greater or larger
Argued for the better part of an hour.
More advantageous or favorable; improved
A better chance of success.
Healthier, more fit, or in less discomfort than before
The patient is better today.
In a satisfactory condition; right or proper
All is well.
Not ailing, infirm, or diseased; healthy.
Cured or healed, as a wound.
Of or characterized by the maintenance of good health practices. Often used in combination
A well-baby clinic.
A well-child visit to the doctor.
Advisable; prudent
It would be well not to ask.
Fortunate; good
It is well that you stayed.
Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad or poor
A good experience.
Good news from the hospital.
Having the qualities that are desirable or distinguishing in a particular thing
A good exterior paint.
A good joke.
Serving the desired purpose or end; suitable
Is this a good dress for the party?.
Not spoiled or ruined
The milk is still good.
In excellent condition; sound
A good tooth.
Superior to the average; satisfactory
A good student.
Used formerly to refer to the US Government grade of meat higher than standard and lower than choice.
Of high quality
Good books.
Discriminating
Good taste.
Of moral excellence; upright
A good person.
Benevolent; kind
A good soul.
A good heart.
Loyal; staunch
A good Republican.
Well-behaved; obedient
A good child.
Socially correct; proper
Good manners.
Worthy of respect; honorable
Ruined the family's good name.
Attractive; handsome
Good looks.
Beneficial to health; salutary
A good night's rest.
Competent; skilled
A good machinist.
Complete; thorough
A good workout.
Reliable; sure
A good investment.
Valid or true
A good reason.
Genuine; real
A good dollar bill.
In effect; operative
A warranty good for two years.
A driver's license that is still good.
Ready or able for a specified or assumed activity
I'm good for another round of golf.
Able to pay or contribute
Is she good for the money that you lent her?.
Able to elicit a specified reaction
He is always good for a laugh.
Ample; substantial
A good income.
Bountiful
A good table.
Full
It is a good mile from here.
Pleasant; enjoyable
Had a good time at the party.
Propitious; favorable
Good weather.
A good omen.
Landing within bounds or within a particular area of a court and therefore in play
The first serve was wide, but the second was good.
Passing between the uprights of the goal and therefore scoring, as a field goal in football.
Used to form exclamatory phrases expressing surprise or dismay
Good heavens! Good grief!.
In a more excellent way
He sings better than his father.
To a greater extent or degree
Better suited to the job.
Likes it better without sauce.
To greater advantage; preferably
A deed better left undone. See Usage Notes at best, have, rather.
More
It took me better than a year to recover.
In a good or proper manner
Behaved well.
Skillfully or proficiently
Dances well.
Satisfactorily or sufficiently
Slept well.
Successfully or effectively
Gets along well with people.
In a comfortable or affluent manner
Lived well.
In a manner affording benefit or gain; advantageously
Married well.
With reason or propriety; reasonably
Can't very well say no.
In all likelihood; indeed
You may well need your umbrella.
In a prudent or sensible manner
You would do well to say nothing more.
In a close or familiar manner
Knew them well.
In a favorable or approving manner
Spoke well of them.
Thoroughly; completely
Well cooked.
Cooked well.
Perfectly; clearly
I well understand your intentions.
To a suitable or appropriate degree
This product will answer your needs equally well.
To a considerable extent or degree
Well over the estimate.
With care or attention
Listened well.
Entirely; fully
Well worth seeing.
Well.
One that is greater in excellence or higher in quality.
Often betters A superior, as in standing, competence, or intelligence
To learn from one's betters.
Variant of bettor.
One that bets or places a bet.
Something that is good.
A good, valuable, or useful part or aspect.
Welfare; benefit
For the common good.
Goodness; virtue
There is much good to be found in people.
A product that is bought and sold
Frozen goods.
Goods Portable personal property.
(used with a sing. or pl. verb) Fabric; material.
Goods(Slang) Incriminating information or evidence
Tried to get the goods on the crook.
To make better; improve
Trying to better conditions in the prison.
Bettered myself by changing jobs.
To surpass or exceed
Practiced so he could better his rival.
To become better
Conditions bettered with time.
Used to introduce a remark, resume a narrative, or fill a pause during conversation.
Used to express surprise.
Comparative of good
Comparative of well
Greater in amount or quantity
Comparative of well
The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil.
Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
The top electric vehicles have a range of 300 kilometres or better. (better = greater)
Only one swimmer finished the race with a time better than two minutes. (better = lesser)
Had better.
You better do that if you know what's good for you.
An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.
Alternative spelling of bettor
Had better.
It's getting late. You better get on home.
(transitive) To improve.
(intransitive) To become better; to improve.
This government will better this society
(transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
(transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air.
Could make the worse appearThe better reason.
Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect.
To obey is better than sacrifice.
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
Greater in amount; larger; more.
Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better.
More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject.
My dear, my better half (said he),I find I must now leave thee.
By all that's holy, he had better starveThan but once think this place becomes thee not.
Advantage, superiority, or victory; - usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy.
One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; - usually in the plural.
Their betters would hardly be found.
One who bets or lays a wager.
In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits.
I could have better spared a better man.
More correctly or thoroughly.
The better to understand the extent of our knowledge.
In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another.
Never was monarch better feared, and loved.
More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.; as, ten miles and better.
To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of.
Love betters what is best.
He thought to better his circumstances.
To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise.
The constant effort of every man to better himself.
To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.
To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
Weapons more violent, when next we meet,May serve to better us and worse our foes.
To become better; to improve.
One having claim to precedence; a superior;
The common man has been kept in his place by his betters
Someone who bets
The superior one of two alternatives;
Chose the better of the two
Surpass in excellence;
She bettered her own record
Break a record
To make better;
The editor improved the manuscript with his changes
Get better;
The weather improved toward evening
(comparative of `good') superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another;
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din
A better coat
A better type of car
A suit with a better fit
A better chance of success
Produced a better mousetrap
She's better in math than in history
(comparative of `good') changed for the better in health or fitness;
Her health is better now
I feel better
(comparative and superlative of `well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable;
It would be better to speak to him
The White House thought it best not to respond
More than half;
Argued for the better part of an hour
Comparative of `well'; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc.;
She had never sung better
A deed better left undone
Better suited to the job
From a position of superiority or authority;
Father knows best
I know better.
Improved in quality or performance.
After the update, the software worked better.
More suitable or appropriate.
This route is better for avoiding traffic.
Healthier than before.
She felt better after taking the medicine.
More advantageous or favorable.
The deal was better than we expected.
Of higher quality, excellence, or effectiveness.
He sought a better solution to the problem.
More skilled or proficient.
She plays piano better than she sings.
Preferable or more desirable.
A peaceful solution is always better.
More appropriate or fitting.
It's better to arrive early than late.
Better Snonyms
Superior
Higher in quality.
The superior craftsmanship of the table was evident.
Improved
Made or become better.
Her grades improved significantly last semester.
Preferable
More desirable or suitable.
Walking is preferable to driving in the city center.
Advanced
Far on or ahead in development or progress.
The advanced technology made the new phone much faster.
Greater
Larger in size, amount, extent, or degree.
The greater effort you put in, the more you'll achieve.
Finer
Of high quality; more refined.
She wore her finer jewelry to the gala.
Optimal
Best or most favorable.
The optimal time to plant tomatoes is after the last frost.
Enhanced
Intensified, increased, or further improved the quality, value, or extent of.
The enhanced security measures made everyone feel safer.
Healthier
Indicative of, conducive to, or promoting good health.
Eating vegetables is healthier than eating fast food.
Excelling
Surpassing others.
She is excelling in her new role at work.
Better Example Sentences
He found a better way to solve the equation.
It's better to ask questions than to remain confused.
You'll feel better after you rest.
She speaks better English now than when she first arrived.
You had better finish your homework before you go out.
Her performance has gotten better with practice.
This version of the app is much better.
This coffee tastes better than the one I had yesterday.
The weather is better today than it was last week.
It's always better to be honest.
The movie was better than I expected.
They hoped for a better future.
I'm looking for a job with better pay.
He's feeling much better since he started the new treatment.
A good night's sleep makes everything better.
Common Curiosities
How many syllables are in better?
Better has two syllables.
What is the verb form of better?
The verb form of "better" is "better" when used as a verb, meaning to improve or surpass. The present participle is "bettering," and the past tense and past participle form is "bettered."
What is the pronunciation of better?
Better is pronounced as /ˈbɛtər/.
What is the first form of better?
The first form of "better," when used as a verb, is "better."
How do we divide better into syllables?
Better is divided into syllables as: bet-ter.
What is a stressed syllable in better?
The stressed syllable in "better" is the first syllable: BET-ter.
What is the third form of better?
The third form (past participle) of "better" when used as a verb is also "bettered."
What part of speech is better?
Better can be an adjective, verb, or adverb, depending on its use in a sentence.
Why is it called better?
It's called "better" because it derives from the Old English "betera," indicating a comparative form of "good" or "well," implying a higher degree of quality or a more favorable condition.
What is the root word of better?
The root word of "better" is "bet," originating from the Old English "betera" or "betra," which is the comparative form of "good" or "well."
How is better used in a sentence?
Better is used to compare two things, indicating that one is of higher quality or more favorable than the other. e.g., She feels better today than yesterday.
Is better an adverb?
Yes, "better" can function as an adverb, meaning "in a superior or more advantageous way."
Is better a noun or adjective?
Better is primarily used as an adjective or adverb but can also be a verb. It is not commonly used as a noun.
Is better a vowel or consonant?
The word "better" starts with a consonant.
Is the word better a Gerund?
No, "better" itself is not a gerund. The gerund form of the verb "to better" would be "bettering."
What is another term for better?
Another term for "better" can vary by context but includes "improved," "superior," or "enhanced."
What is the opposite of better?
The opposite of "better" can be "worse" when comparing quality, condition, or performance.
What is the singular form of better?
As "better" can be an adjective, verb, or adverb, it does not have singular or plural forms in the traditional sense.
Is better an abstract noun?
No, "better" is not an abstract noun; it's an adjective, adverb, or verb.
Is better a negative or positive word?
"Better" is a positive word, indicating improvement or a more favorable condition.
Is the word “better” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Better" can be used as part of a verb phrase where it might indirectly describe the object of improvement, but it is not in itself a direct or indirect object.
Which preposition is used with better?
Prepositions used with "better" vary by context, including "than" for comparisons or "at" when referring to proficiency.
What is the second form of better?
The second form (simple past tense) of "better" when used as a verb is "bettered."
Is better a countable noun?
"Better" is not commonly used as a noun, so it's neither countable nor uncountable in the traditional sense.
Is better a collective noun?
No, "better" is not a collective noun.
Is the word better imperative?
When used as a verb, "better" can be imperative, suggesting a command or advice to improve. e.g., "You had better watch your step."
Which vowel is used before better?
There's no specific rule for using a vowel before "better"; it depends on the preceding word in a sentence.
Which conjunction is used with better?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "better," depending on the sentence structure.
What is the plural form of better?
"Better" does not change form for singular or plural; its use remains the same.
Is the better term a metaphor?
"Better" can be used metaphorically to signify improvement or enhancement in various contexts.
Which determiner is used with better?
Determiners used with "better" depend on its function in a sentence; with the implied noun, determiners like "a," "the," or possessive pronouns can be applicable.
Which article is used with better?
When "better" is used as an adjective or adverb, articles are generally used with the noun it modifies, not directly with "better."
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
