Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense betters, present participle bettering, past tense, past participle bettered
1.
Better is the comparative of good.
2.
Better is the comparative of well2.
3. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
If you like one thing betterthan another, you like it more.
I like your interpretation better than the one I was taught.
I'd like nothing better than to join you girls.
They liked it better when it rained.
Synonyms: to a greater degree, more completely, more thoroughly More Synonyms of better
4. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are better after an illness or injury, you have recovered from it. If you feel better, you no longer feel so ill.
He is much better now, he's fine.
The doctors were saying there wasn't much hope of me getting better.
5. phrase
You use had better or 'd better when you are advising, warning, or threatening someone, or expressing an opinion about what should happen.
It's half past two. I think we had better go home.
You'd better run if you're going to get your ticket.
He'd better not try to fool me.
In spoken English, people sometimes use better without 'had' or 'be' before it. It has the same meaning.
You better not say too much aloud.
6. pronoun
If you say that you expect or deserve better, you mean that you expect or deserve a higher standard of achievement, behaviour, or treatment from people than they have shown you.
We expect better of you in the future.
Our long-suffering mining communities deserve better than this.
7. plural noun [poss NOUN]
Your betters are people who have a higher status or rank than you do.
[humorous, old-fashioned]
Sit down and be quiet in front of your elders and betters.
8. verb
If someone betters a high achievement or standard, they achieve something higher.
He recorded a time of 4 minutes 23, bettering the old record of 4-24. [VERB noun]
As an account of adolescence it could hardly be bettered. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: beat, top, exceed, excel More Synonyms of better
9. verb
If you better your situation, you improve your social status or the quality of your life. If you betteryourself, you improve your social status.
Others dreamed of owning land and of bettering their social position. [VERB noun]
Our parents chose to come here with the hope of bettering themselves. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Synonyms: improve, further, raise, forward More Synonyms of better
10.
Better is used to form the comparative of compound adjectives beginning with 'good' and 'well.' For example, the comparative of 'well-off' is 'better-off.'
11.
See be better doing sth/it is better doing sth
12.
See to change for the better
13.
See to get the better of sb
14.
See to get the better of sb
15.
See to know better
16.
See to know better
17.
See be better off
18.
See go one better
19.
See that's better
20.
See so much the better
21.
See the bigger/sooner/smaller etc the better
22.
See the better to do sth
23.
See to think better of it
24.
See for better or worse
25. better the devil you know
26. discretion is the better part of valour
27. your better half
28. against your better judgment
29. to be better than nothing
30. the better part
More Synonyms of better
better in British English1
(ˈbɛtə)
adjective
1. the comparative of good
2.
more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc
3.
more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc
4.
improved in health
5.
fully recovered in health
6.
in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
7. better off
8. the better part of
adverb
9. the comparative of well1
10.
in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc
11.
in or to a greater degree or extent; more
she is better loved than her sister
12. go one better
13. had better
14. know better than to
15. think better of
noun
16. the better
17. (usually plural)
a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability
18. all the better for
19. all the better to
20. for better for worse
21. for the better
22. get the better of
23. the better of
verb
24.
to make or become better
25. (transitive)
to improve upon; surpass
Word origin
Old English betera; related to Old Norse betri, Gothic batiza, Old High German beziro
better in British English2
or especially US bettor (ˈbɛtə)
noun
a person who bets
better in American English1
(ˈbɛtər)
adjective
1.
compar. of good
2.
of a more excellent sort; surpassing another or others
3.
more suitable, more desirable, more favorable, more profitable, etc.
4.
being more than half; larger
it cost the better part of her pay
5.
improved in health or disposition
adverb
6. compar. of
well2
7.
in a more excellent manner; in a more suitable way
8.
in a higher degree; to a greater extent
9.
more
it took better than an hour
10. Informal
had better (see phrase below)
you better behave yourself
noun
11.
a person superior in authority, position, etc.
obey your betters
12.
the thing, circumstance, action, etc. that is more excellent, more suitable, etc.
13.
advantage
to get the better of a rival
verb transitive
14.
to outdo; surpass
15.
to make better; improve
verb intransitive
16.
to become better
SIMILAR WORDS: imˈprove
Idioms:
better off
for the better
get the better of
had better
Word origin
ME bettere, betere < OE betera: see good adjective
better in American English2
(ˈbɛtər)
noun
alt. sp. of
bettor
More idioms containing
better
better the devil you know
something has seen better days
half a loaf is better than none
Examples of 'better' in a sentence
better
The websites of the biggest spread betters show clear warnings about the risks and there are'stop losses' in place that limit how much you can lose.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She would take advantage of his absence and seek to better her own lot.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
And for her as an individual it will better her quality of life.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He is going to better that one day.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Turning it down is like refusing free money because most companies will match or better your contributions.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Both results were bettered by only six other companies.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There are certain employees who will be disgruntled no matter how you try to better their role.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Some come on our show and we try to better their lives.
The Sun (2009)
It could also be viewed as pointless to try to better their original sound.
The Sun (2009)
Good luck to him for trying to better himself.
The Sun (2014)
In both cases the scores were bettered by just two other mid-sized organisations.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
No one bettered the skipper's haul.
The Sun (2016)
But here in Rake we can better his example.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I had to match or better the power of the atmosphere.
The Sun (2009)
No one could better her.
The Sun (2014)
I can't think that will be bettered in my life.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
At least I feel much better that my listeners like me.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Another impressive score of 89% is bettered by just one other company when staff are asked if they find their training of great personal benefit.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
What was a torrent of bad news becomes matched, then bettered, by good news.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
That's because the cosmetic changes are met, matched and bettered by the driving experience that comes with them.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It was 1991 and he led the way in occupying his school, explaining that he wanted something more than better funding.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The company's 89% positive score for making a positive difference to the world is bettered by just two other organisations.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Staff say teams are fun to work with, the 80% positive score here bettered by just one other big firm.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
better
British English: better /ˈbɛtə/ ADJECTIVE
more good You use better to mean that a thing is very good compared to another thing.
His painting is better than mine.
American English: better
Arabic: أَفْضَل
Brazilian Portuguese: melhor
Chinese: 较好的
Croatian: bolji
Czech: lepší
Danish: bedre
Dutch: beter
European Spanish: mejor comparativo
Finnish: parempi
French: meilleur
German: besser
Greek: καλύτερος
Italian: migliore
Japanese: よりよい
Korean: 더 좋은
Norwegian: bedre
Polish: lepszy
European Portuguese: melhor
Romanian: mai bun
Russian: лучший
Latin American Spanish: mejor
Swedish: bättre
Thai: ดีกว่า
Turkish: daha iyi
Ukrainian: кращий
Vietnamese: tốt hơn
British English: better /ˈbɛtə/ ADVERB
You use better to mean that someone or something does something very well compared to another person or thing.
She plays tennis better than I do.
American English: better
Arabic: أَحْسَن
Brazilian Portuguese: melhor
Chinese: 更好地
Croatian: bolje
Czech: lépe
Danish: bedre
Dutch: beter
European Spanish: mejor
Finnish: paremmin
French: mieux
German: besser
Greek: καλύτερα
Italian: meglio
Japanese: よりよく
Korean: 더 잘
Norwegian: bedre
Polish: lepiej
European Portuguese: melhor
Romanian: mai bine
Russian: лучше
Latin American Spanish: mejor
Swedish: bättre
Thai: มาตรฐานที่ดีกว่า
Turkish: daha iyisi
Ukrainian: краще
Vietnamese: tốt hơn
British English: better /ˈbɛtə/ ADJECTIVE
well again If you feel better, you do not feel ill anymore.
I feel much better today.
American English: better
Arabic: أَحْسَن
Brazilian Portuguese: melhor
Chinese: 好转的病情
Croatian: bolje
Czech: lépe
Danish: bedre
Dutch: beter
European Spanish: mejor
Finnish: parempi
French: mieux
German: besser
Greek: καλύτερος
Italian: meglio
Japanese: 前より具合が良い
Korean: 더 좋은
Norwegian: god
Polish: lepiej
European Portuguese: melhor
Romanian: mai binecomparative degree
Russian: поправившийся
Latin American Spanish: mejorsentirse mejor
Swedish: bättre
Thai: ดีขึ้น
Turkish: daha iyi
Ukrainian: кращий
Vietnamese: tốt hơn
All related terms of 'better'
good
Good means pleasant or enjoyable.
guid
→ a Scot word for good
weel
in a satisfactory manner
well
You say well to indicate that you are about to say something.
better half
one's spouse
better off
in more favourable circumstances , esp financially
had better
would be wise , sensible , etc to
know better
to be aware that one could or should act better or think more correctly
the better
something that is the more excellent , useful , etc, of two such things
that's better
You say ' That's better ' in order to express your approval of what someone has said or done , or to praise or encourage them.
be better off
If you say that someone would be better off doing something, you are advising them to do it or expressing the opinion that it would benefit them to do it.
for the better
by way of improvement
go one better
If you go one better , you do something better than it has been done before or obtain something better than someone else has.
the better of
having recovered from
the better off
those with more money
to know better
If someone knows better than to do something, they are old enough or experienced enough to know it is the wrong thing to do.
think better of
to change one's course of action after reconsideration
all the better for
improved as a result of
all the better to
more suitable to
get the better of
to defeat, outwit , or surpass
the better part of
a large part of
best-ball
of, relating to, or denoting a match in which one player competes against the best individual totals of two or more other players at each hole
for better for worse
whatever the subsequent events or changes may be
know better than to
not to be so stupid as to
the sooner the better
You say the sooner the better when you think something should be done as soon as possible.
better late than never
If you say better late than never when someone has done something, you think they should have done it earlier .
the better to do sth
If you do something the better to do something else, you do the first thing in order to be able to do the second thing more effectively.
to think better of it
If you intend to do something and then think better of it , you decide not to do it because you realize it would not be sensible .
good-looking
Someone who is good-looking has an attractive face .
well-informed
If you say that someone is well-informed , you mean that they know a lot about many different subjects or about one particular subject.
against one's better judgment
contrary to a more appropriate or preferred course of action
against your better judgment
If something is against your better judgment , you believe that it would be more sensible or better not to do it.
all the better (or worse)
so much the better (or worse )
better the devil you know
If you say better the devil you know or better the devil you know than the devil you don't know , you mean that you would prefer to have contact with or do business with a person you already know, even though you don't like them, than with a person you don't know.
go (a person) one better
to outdo or surpass (a person)
to be better than nothing
If you say that something is better than nothing , you mean that it is not what is required , but that it is better to have that thing than to have nothing at all.
to change for the better
If something changes for the better , it improves .
to get the better of sb
If a feeling such as jealousy , curiosity , or anger gets the better of you, it becomes too strong for you to hide or control .
to have seen better days
If you say that something has seen better days , you mean that it is old and in poor condition .
the best part the better part
If you say that something happened for the best part or the better part of a period of time, you mean that it happened for most of that time.
your other half
your husband , wife , or partner
all the better so much the better
You can say ' so much the better ' or ' all the better ' to indicate that it is desirable that a particular thing is used, done, or available .
something has seen better days
said to mean that something is old and in poor condition
half a loaf is better than none
said to mean that it is better to take what you can get , even if it is very little, than to risk having nothing at all
your better half your other half
If you talk about your better half or your other half you mean your wife , your husband , or the person that you live with in a sexual relationship .
so much the better all much the better
You can say ' so much the better ' or ' all the better ' to indicate that it is desirable that a particular thing is used, done, or available .
be better doing sth/it is better doing sth
You can say that someone is better doing one thing than another, or it is better doing one thing than another, to advise someone about what they should do.
for better or worse for better or for worse
If you say that something has happened or been done for better or worse , you mean that you are not sure whether the consequences will be good or bad , but they will have to be accepted because the action cannot be changed.
discretion is the better part of valour
If you say discretion is the better part of valour , you mean that avoiding a dangerous or unpleasant situation is sometimes the most sensible thing to do.
it's better to be safe than sorry better safe than sorry
If you say ' it's better to be safe than sorry ', you are advising someone to take action in order to avoid possible unpleasant consequences later , even if this seems unnecessary .
Chinese translation of 'better'
better
(ˈbɛtəʳ)
adj
(comparative of good) 更好的 (gèng hǎo de)
⇒ The results were better than expected.结果比预期的更好。 (Jiéguǒ bǐ yùqī de gèng hǎo.)
(after an illness or injury) 好转(轉)的 (hǎozhuǎn de)
⇒ Are you better now?你现在好点了吗？ (Nǐ xiànzài hǎodiǎnle ma?)
adv
(comparative of well) 更好地 (gèng hǎo de)
⇒ Some people can ski better than others.一些人比其他人滑雪滑得好。 (Yīxiē rén bǐ qítā rén huáxuě huá de hǎo.)
(= more)[like]更 (gèng)
⇒ I always liked you better than Sandra.与桑德拉相比，我总是更喜欢你。 (Yǔ Sāngdélā xiāngbǐ, wǒ zǒngshì gèng xǐhuan nǐ.)
vt
[score, record]提高 (tígāo)
⇒ We have bettered last year's figures.我们比去年的数字又有了提高。 (Wǒmen bǐ qùnián de shùzì yòu yǒule tígāo.)
n
to get the better of[curiosity etc]占(佔) ... 的上风(風) (zhàn ... de shàngfēng)
⇒ My curiosity got the better of me.我的好奇心占了上风。 (Wǒ de hàoqíxīn zhànle shàngfēng.)
to get better (= improve) 变(變)得更好 (biàn de gèng hǎo) [sick person]渐(漸)愈(癒) (jiànyù)